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
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
waters cleere Is sone destroyed and with a puffe of winde doth not appere For in a moment al the ioyes of man are fetcht away Then only doth the talk remaine wherein they thus do say Loe here he was loe this did he he fought and triumph wan He loued he raigned he conquerd realmes subdued many a man A goodly sorâ—e of bookes he wrote but now where shall we finde These things no where Himself where now both out of sight and minde What is he now Nothing Or whether did he himself conuay Loe fled from hence with windes he is and vanisht quite away Alas alas but trifles fond and fansies meere they be Whatsoeuer goodly thing on earth or wonderful we see What tell you me of Was or Did one Is more worth coumpt I Than Was a thousand times But fast this Is away doth flye And al our pompe with him he beares These things who wel doth way And vseth to consider oft shall quickly cast away This worldly loue and hating earth shal seeke the Skies to finde Especially if therewithal he vse to beare in minde How fylthy and how miserable mans body doth appere Of fading flesh and brittle bones with skinne encompast here Al flowing ful with dregges vncleane and bloud corrupt and vile Still durty soule and filthy lookes except it euery while Be washt and kept with daily care and so made fayre and white O dolefull hospitall of minde and vessell of the sprite By which such sycknesse great we feele by which such neede we haue O heauie garment pryson strong O quick and liuely graue That chokest here both minde sense and them in darkenesse hyde Wherby so great an ignorance in brest of man doth byde O earth to earth returning soone that in a smallest while In tombe shalt freshly feede y e wormes with foode of carcasse vile In what a wretched case liues he that ledde away with loue Of thee doth leaue the perfect lyfe and gift of God aboue While more than meate esteming thee thy pleasures here preparde He onely seekes and good and ryght 〈◊〉 smally doth regarde And thinkes there is no other lyfe than this that here we holde A foolishe Asse forgetfull of himselfe and countrey olde From whence into thys darksome dale and dolefull place he went That so a wretche he should become in wretched carcasse pent For euery soule that is enclosde with fleshe and members here Hath wretched lyfe tyll losed froÌ„ thence it flye to heauens clere Except the heauy waight of synne doe barre him of hys way And cause it in the lowest ayre or on the earth to stay For purest heauen neuer can a thing vncleane abyde Nor wicked men nor doltishe fooles may come where God doth guide These wordes while as the holy man in teaching mee had spent The Sunne almost had ended daye with Waine that weary went And night was nere at hande that thoe began abrode to cast Hir dreadfull darksome shade vpon the worlde approching fast I thence depart and towards Rome my way in hast I take And whyle with speede I passe the pathe that iorney new doth make Lo Cynthia shining compasse full did call the lightlesse night With syluer beames that dewe she cast to appere both fayre and bright Thus went I all alone and wyth my selfe in minde I wayde The Godly wordes that late to me the auncient Father sayde But lo thre men in company therwith I might beholde whom meeting thus by chauÌ„ce I askde which way they trauaile would To Rome they sayde and one of them lookde full vyon mee thoe And naming mee from wheÌ„ce quoth he what countrey comste thou froe I aunswerde him from that wyse man which in the part most hye Of fayre Apolloes stately hyll in lofty place doth lye Wherewith he smylde sayde O foole synkes it into thy minde That possyble on earth it is a wyse man here to finde He semeth wyse that is least foole the other sort among Although a dolt for wysedome doth to Gods alone belong Of number which we here are three for I am calde by name Sarracilus and Sathiell he Iaxa is thys same which though we walk in humain shape thus seeming men in face Yet Gods we be and nere the Moone we haue our dwelling place Whereas a number great of Gods of meanest sort doe lye That haue the guiding of the earth and Seas that ryse so hye This when I heard amasde I was and sore to dread began Yet seming bolde and voide of feare full lyke a pretye man â–ª I askde wherfore they went to Rome then aunswerde me the same A fellowe there of oures we haue that Ammon hath to name whom bounde to serue by Magike Arte a yong man there kepes straight Of Narni soyle that doth in court of Vrsin prelate wayght O what great power is graunted man the sprites he guides by line By this you well may vnderstande your soules to be diuine And voide of death For if no part of you should after raine If that your soule should dye as bodye here by death is slaine What power shoulde haue such foolishe beastes and trifling pyctures vaine Upon the sprites aboue And if no sacred thing remaine In you how should such Ghostes as we the force of man so waye Or vnto man of fading state in such a sort obaye Yea I my selfe was once Constrainde to serue a German wight Enclosde within a compast stone of Christall clere and height â–ª But at the length a bearded syre vnlosde me of these bandes And prison broken thence I fledde in hast from out his handes To Rome therefore we go with minde if that we may t'vntye From seruice straight a mate of oures that there doth captiue lye And so that downe to Hell we may conuaye this present night A sort of Romishe prelates proude that liue in great delight These words whyle as he spake a winde forthwith dyd pittling blowe Quoth Sathiell then O frendes froÌ„ Rome Remisses comes I knowe This winde that comes before declares nor herein did he lye For therwithall a fayre yong man Remisses stoode them bye They at hys comming all reioist and byd hym welcome there And aske what great affayres in Rome what newes doe there appere There all quoth he are bent to lust and Glotony doe minde With theft and guile all ours they be both man and womankinde But Clement there the Pope prepares an armye great in hast And seekes to haue the present state of Luther cleane defacde And Spanishe ensynes therfore kepes nor wyll he nowe dispute And him wyth scriptures ouerthrowe but with the sworde confute Away with counsaile now and hence with Luthers workes againe For Byshops now are battailes meete all other wayes are vaine Ne care they what the Apostles taught ne for the wordes of Christ But boast themselues as Lordes of all that may doe what they list They that haue power do feare no law law is with force opprest But we my mates doe
continually Where nature mischiefes doth permit there plants she pleasure by And wise she mixeth sowre with sweete and where diseases raynes There hath she poynted remedies that can release the paynes Therefore wheresoeuer to much heate anoyes the inhabitant No mountaynes colde nor cooling blastê no shaddowing trees do want Nor pleasant streams w t store of springê whose coldenesse may defeate The harmes that happen vnto man by force of raging heate Besides the night hath equall length there all times with the day Which with an euen cooling force doth heate of Sunne alay wherby we iudge the myddle Zone not voyd nor empty â—â—es But peopled well by nature safe and meanes that they deuise So th'vtter Zones where as they say no kinde of people dwell with snowes and yse all couerde styll men may inhabite well As reason good doth vs persuade for there great store of wood Doth alwayes grow garments there are made both great and good wyth furres of sundry sortes of beastes and stoues are many there where w t men well may warm theÌ„selues and winter nothing feare And bytter colde by many meanes they well may driue away Nor foode conuenient do they want but Cates at home they may Or brought froÌ„ other countreyes haue and daynty kinde of fare wherefore it is not true that some brought vp in Greece declare That nature onely hath assignde one Zone of smallest sise For man to dwell and all the rest that voyd and desert lies Alone to serue for beast and fish this world vnworthy seeme That nature graunting greater place to beasts them best esteeme Wherfore if he may be beleeued that troth doth playnly tell No place there is vpon the earth but men may safely dwell Dame natures ayde in nothing doth sustayne or feele decay And witte of man the hardest things doth breake and beare away Now last bicause vnto the ende with haste apace we hie And time doth wyll vs to attempt the fishes of the Skie Therefore I briefly will declare the cause why earth doth quake What force doth driue it for to moue what might doth make it shake And thus we may be bolde to thinke that in the earth belowe Are many caues and mighty vawtes where boystrous winds do blowe Which whilst with force they rage and striue vpon the earth they beate And in this rage do ouerturne the walles and Cities greate Tyll breaking out at some one place wyth force abrode they flye And blowe about in puffing ayre not long in rest they lye These windes are bred within the earth of damps which firy heate Doth draw from moysture neere about for many fiers great The earth within doth nourish styll a wondrous thing I tell But yet no fayned thing I shewe he can beare witnesse well Who so hath Aetna euer seene or bathes of waters hote Or who so knowes the wonders of Veseuus viney plotte These winds the wicked sprits do moue that in the lowest Hell Possesse their place and in the depth of dongeons darke do dwell For trifies surely are they not nor words of vanitie That of the Stygian lakes and of Auernus spoken be No place doth voyd or emptyly but dwelt in euery wheare Both vnder earth and on the earth in ayre and firy spheare In Skies and eke aboue the Skies where Heauen shineth bright where as the glistring pallayce standes of Prince of greatest might That owner is of all the world My Muse adieu farewell And finally prepare thy selfe thy ending tale to tell Pisces the tvvelueth Booke MOst glorious GOD almighty King thou Parent chiefe of name Whose wisdom gret this woÌ„drous world of nothing first did frame And gouerns it and euermore preserueê it day by day The spring and end of all that be to whome all things obay Than whome more great more good or fayre is nothing nor more hie That blessed liuest for euermore aboue the starry Skye My minde desiring now to thee to clime doth nothing neede Apollo Muse Parnasus hill or springs that wont to feede The pratling Poets fansies vayne when as they list to write Disguised tales that frantike heads of countrey Clownes delite For other ayde and other grace it needefull is to haue And streames of other fountayns swete I thyrsty now do craue I thee beseech and humbly pray on thee alone I call That this my worke of late begoonne and labour last of all Thou fauour wilt and grauÌ„t me grace to touch the appoynted ende O Lorde thy holy sprite vouchsafe into my heart to sende wherewith inspirde I may beholde the secrets of thy rayne And others teache and with my verse immortall honour gayne A sorte there are that do suppose the ends of euery thing Aboue the heauens to consist and farther not to spring So that beyond them nothing is and that aboue the Skies Hath nature neuer powre to clime but there amazed lies Which vnto me appeareth false as reason doth me teach For if the ende of all be there where Skies no farther reach Why hath not God created more bicause he had not skill How more to make his cunning stayed and broken of his will Or was it bicause he had not powre but troth both these denies For powre of God hath neuer ende nor bounds his knowledge ties No kinde of thing may God conclude nor limits him assigne Nor propre force doth once restrayne the Maiestie deuine Great things I tell and reason greate shall also this defende If any thing the powre of God may ende or comprehende Then is y t thing more strong than God For what thing can be found That if it haue not greater force another thing can bound But nothing passeth God in powre nor stronger is than he Therefore he neyther can nor wyll with limits compast be For who wold haue his force restraynd when that he may be free And walke abrode where as he list with powre at libertie No man there is that doth desire himselfe for to abase But rather all men arrogate to them a higher place And alwayes seeke for to enhaunce the state that here they leade And though their wings be large wide yet farther them to spreade will GOD then while he may be greatest of powre omnipotent His propre force himselfe restrayne and liue in limits pent This surely doth not well agrée nor ought to be beleeued That God hath bounds if that of none he euer them receiued Nor hath assigned to himselfe as we before did proue These things foretold we thus coÌ„clude the works of God aboue Unbounded for to be least that his powre and maiestie And knowlege should be counted vayn For if aboue the Skie He could and might haue framed more and goodlier things by much But would not then in vayne is all his power and knowledge such For if that any man haue skyll and cunning in an arte And neuer will in practise put the knowledge of his harte In vayne he should vnto himselfe procure a workmans name In vayne with
should you all consume what maruell were it than Shew me the cause both night and day why do you take such payne Is it but only for your selues why then no prayse you gayne For he that only priuate wealth regardeth alwayes still And laughes to scorne an others harme whilste he enioyes his will A sauage beast by right desert deserueth calde to be And not a man for to be namde for so to write ought we That men may get some good thereby and not complaine to spend Their times in trifling trickes toyes that haue no certaine end And fyrst ought to be knowen that we do good in three deuide In pleasure and vtilitie and honesty chiefe beside Some one of these or greater parte may Poets alway vse So that the bondes of honesty to breake they shall refuse But O what titles and what crowne did he deserue to haue Which things not only vaine nought good fruite that neuer gaue But wrot such things as might corrupt the life of any man And make him worser ten to one than when he first began He left behinde him monuments of wanton wicked wayes And left such foolish doting things to men of latter dayes O Lord how much doth wanton words to wicked life entice And with a feruent poyson great doth draw men vnto vice From eares a wanton wicked voice dare pearce the secrete thought And vnto mischiefe moue thereby the members bent to nought A noble man such things delight some man perhaps wyll say Who in his house a lusty route doth kepe in rich aray Whome for to feare excessiue goods compels a man thereto With any parte of worthy wyt who neuer had to do What then may these be suffred thoe or praysd bycause they please The rich or else the noble men that alwayes liue in ease Not so for what a sorte there be of twolegd Asses clothed In Golde and Silke and Purple fayre to al men is not shewed There be there be ful many now whome Pearls haue puft with pride And whome the Asians haue beset with Silke on euery syde Whose fingers fayre with rings of gold be dasht and deckt about With precious stones pearles of price that India sendeth out Those men a man would almost swear that Plato they excell Or Socrates who Phaebus iudge of wisdome bare the bell And yet these Princely paynted walles do nought wythin contayne A blather ful implete with winde springs they may be termed playne Where Fortune fawnes there pleasure and pleasure bringeth folly And so the light of reasons rule is darkned vtterly Whereby it happes that seldome wyse these children chaunce to be To suffer payne for vertues sake who wil if so be he Haue no rewarde rewarde who sekes but he whome nede constraynes The rich man followes ioyful things and liueth void of paynes He hates the prycking thorny wayes the clyffes both sharp and sowre By which we do assay to clime to Lady learnings towre I can not stay my selfe as now when anger coÌ„mes vpon But needes I must defye both verse and Poets al as one When boyes we see decline to nought whome maisters do embewe With verses filthy to be namde which most they should eschew Their first possessed shame fastnesse to see them cleane forsake And eke how apt and prone they be a noughty way to take And foster mischiefe so in youth that he may alwayes dwell In them whereby they may prepare in age a way to hell But yet it doth me good to see how hoping al for praise They get themselues immortall shame that neuer more decayes For who wil iudge them voyd of vice or that they liude not so As they themselues did giue precepts to others for to go The talke it selfe doth wel declare the nature of the minde And euery man doth moste frequent things propre to his kinde Of Oxen rake and culter sharpe the plowmans â—ong doth walke Of Sayle and Cable Mast and Ore is all the Seamans talke Of Horses harnesse Speare Shielde the Captayne styl wil boste So bawdy mates of bawdy things their tongs do clatter moste I warne you syrs aboue the rest of youth that takes the cure Whose parte it is the tender mindes of boyes for to allure To bertue and to Godlinesse like waxe do them prepare Hate you the wicked workes of those for greater matters care Reade not such things as are but vayne vnworthy to be tolde But teach the worthy histories of auncient fathers olde Herein let children nouseled be let these be borne away Here of may spring a Godly fruite direct their life that may They shew what things we folow shuld and what we should reiect And fables al among the rest we may not wel neglect For oftentimes a Comody may holesome doctrine bring And monish men by pleasant wordes to leaue some noughty thing There be I graunt some Poets workes not altogither vayne Which with a plesaunt sugred style procede from sobre brayne These things do helpe and voyd of vic these workes do profit much In youth bring vp your scholers wyth none other foode but such And when their yong and tender age they once haue passed out Then may they safely voyd of harm go range the fieldes about And gather floures where they list for daunger is away But now a while for to discusse I thinke it best assay Of which of these is nedefull most or moste to be estemed The man that good and honest is or he that well is learned The good or else the learned man of two which is the best Learning is hie becoÌ„mes the meke and doth the proude infest It doth refuse the belly gods and such as sleepe hath trainde Without long time and labour great it wyll not be obtainde This Citie rules and moueth Mars and this can warres refell It sheweth the earth and goodly starres and sicknesse doth expell Thys teacheth figures faire to frame of sundry sorce and kinde This teacheth vs to number well and musicke calles to minde This doth ascende the heauens and bring hidden things to light No perfit man without this same may called be of right Unlike to beastes and like to gods this causeth vs to be Sometime and yet of little price his vertue lost we see As oft as with the dregges of vice defylde he doth put on Deformed hewe amid the durte as doth the Jasper stone Or as the Sunne behinde the cloude or shadowe of the Moone Ne is it onely vile in sight but hurtfull very soone For if a wicked man it haue then may it be comparde Unto a frentyke foole that hath a sworde wythout regarde Whereby hee many doth destroy and runneth more astray But he that voide of harme and hurte to liue doth well assay Obseruing well the law of God and of the hygher powre And synne doth flye as open throte of dragon to deuoure The shepe the moyle or horses kept whose office is to see Though he be one if learning lacke estemde he ought
to bee Such one I say no man nor God can euer well despise But he that vertue doth enuie at least that is not wise For who but such wyll not hym loue and worthily commende That feareth God and righteousnes obserueth to hys ende Whom golde can neuer ouercome who willeth no mans wrong Who helpes the poores afflicted case who flyeth the naughty throng He feedes the humble and the meke yll tongues hee doth reiect No man to hurt he doth reioice but rather to protect And that which is the worthyest praise at euery time he can In euery thing a modestye vse happy is that man More happy yet I doe him iudge that doth in both excell Who that is good and learned to a crowne deserueth well For other men he farre exceedes as golde doth copper passe And as the flaming Piropus excelles the duskey glasse And seldome synne thou shalt discerne a man of learned fame At least not much vnto the rude there is no heede of shame But headlong rushe they into vice which they forbidden bee And holy lawes be laught to scorne by foolishe fonde decree Lyke as the blinde cannot beware but fal in ditches deepe As men amid the darke be hurt when Proserpine doth sleepe So minde of man which is but blinde take learning once away In euery vice it doth not doubt to fall and runne astray Except it be comprest by feare of paine that may ensue No things but those that pleasaunt bee it iudgeth right or true Yet many times it may be sene that nature doth supply The maisters roume and giueth grace in youth abundantly Whereby that schoole did neuer teache by grace they may obtaine What letteth such to leade a life as vertue teacheth plaine The greater thankes be due to him for euermore to giue Whose booke doth shew a Methode true declaring how to liue O famous Gods of hie renoume which rule the forked hyll To whom my yeares I alwayes gaue and dedicate them styll If that such waighty things a wretche may safely you desire In this my worke I take in hande your aide I now require Let not dishonour me deface nor in his blasing rage Let limping Uulcan me destroye at any time or age And thus an ende the ramme that kepes the entraunce of our doore Doth leaue his place vnto the bull that hasteth here afore The booke approching next at hande doth will mee to haue done In hast and biddes me finishe now that I of late begonne ¶ The Seconde booke entituled Taurus LOng time y t hast thee rested well my boate in pleasant baye Now time vs biddes to hoyse vp sailes and ancour vp to way The washing wynter now is fledde the hoary snowes be gon From downe the hylles they fast distill that once they fell vpon The earth againe doth florishe greene the trees repaire their spring With pleasaunt notes the Nitingale beginneth new to sing With flowers fresh their heads be deckt the Fairies daunce in fielde And wanton songes in mossye dennes the Drids and Satirs yelde The wynged Cupide fast doth cast his dartes of golde yframed And lusty youth with pleasaunt heate hath feruently inflamed Now may we safely wander out amid the waters plaine The floudes be calme y e westerne wynde is present here againe O foole why art thou now afraide the ayre is fayre and bright And Atlas daughters risyng vp perswade thy course of right For ydlenesse what kynde of praise can happen vnto thee To stouthfulnesse no good rewarde may well ascribed bee Lyft vp thy heart and corage eke be bolde and of good chere For fortune most doth fauour those that all things least doe feare To fearefull folkes at any time shee 〈…〉 umphe hath denaide But as I gesse the monsters teeth doth make thee sore afraide Great shame it is that vertue shoulde for monsters hyde their face Go to therefore leaue of thy lettes and walke the depth apace The kyng and Lord and mighty power that rules the worlde so fast Who wyth a beck the golden starres shall gouerne whilste they last Who made the earth inhabited wyth beastes of sundry sight And diuers fishe within the sea to draw their vitall sprite Least destitute of dwellers be those elements they shoulde And onely man among the rest discerne he reason woulde And vnto him he graunted speache where beastes be dumme of sounde Declining downe their bodies great doe lycke the massey grounde With reason he hath vnder brought the strongest beastes of might The Lion fierce the Tygre swift alone hath put to flight The serpents though their bodies foule wyth poyson doe abounde Doe stande in awe and feare him to when that they heare hys sounde The mōstruous mole y e thurlpole great of mighty forme and strength In Occean sea doth giue him place when he doth walke at length Take him away what were the earth a place wyth bryers growne And would bring forth no kinde of corne vntilde or els vnsowne Hee cities built and ordned lawes wherby they ruled bee Wyth temples trymmed for their state the Gods adourned hee Full many artes he searched forth and instruments he founde Which like the lightning flashe flame and lyke the thunders sounde Wherein the fier fast inclosde inforceth all hee may Out of hys mouth to rumble oute the pellet farre away Whereby the Towers hye be bette and walles of euery towne Hys strength not able to abide come topsy turuey downe And he that heareth farre away the bouncing of these blowes With dreadfull noyse y e thūder thumpes as present there he trowes Unhappy had you bene O Gods if in Phlegreus grounde Wheras with giantes huge you fought such weapons had bene founde He founde out shippes whereby a man to passe the seas may knowe And wander farre whereas he list if wynde at wyll doe blowe In places farre abrode and nie to Tytan in the East And where the Sūne doth slip sometime and fall vnder the west And in the North whereas the Beare her colour cleare doth giue And in the other part againe where men there be that liue Whose feete contrary quite to ours doe alwayes vse to treade And lyke to fall their heeles aloft doe downewarde hang theire head And though he doe excell in witte and vigour of the minde So much that well he may be thought to come of God hys kinde Yet knowethhe not nor seekes to know a thyng to badde to tell How for to liue what wayes to flye or what to follow well O mortall brestes where darknes blinde doth euermore abounde And eke O mindes where foolishnesse may alwayes well be founde By wicked wayes they runne astray and fewe alas doe knowe Which way their iourney well to take or where in safe to rowe Whereby the chiefe and happiest lyfe in time they may obtaine The knotty science of tho lawes will neuer shewe it plaine Nor he that can in medicine skyll in eloquence or grammer But onely wysedome must the waye detect the chiefe defender
is painde Nor can the minde be alwayes yet to seuere things addict For frayle it is and ioy it must when endes the sad afflict And downe the highest hilles descende to valleyes depe and lowe No otherwise than when on earth doth Joue his lightning throwe Hating the crimes that here be done the Egle bearing fast Wyth byll or feete the three edgde tole in Cicil fornace cast Ascends the toppes of heauens hie and maruayles much to see The Princely walles wyth precious stones that there adourned bee Astonished is to see the place of glistering gold confect That shines wyth starres she doth beholde with Diamond pillers deckt The costly roufes she loked vpon of Indian teeth compacte She meruayles at the ample fielde and light that neuer lackt The great delightes that gods are in that rong cannot expresse Nor neuer heart of man could thinke the worthy pleasauntnesse She flying fast both here and there desireth much to play By skies so cleare and pleasaunt ayres begins hir wings to spray The earth and quite she doth forget her nest is out of minde In princely rayne of thundring God such pleasure doth she finde But after that by hungers prick with fasting strength decayes And he ate lackes foode to worke vppon that now she gan to prayse The heauens hie she doth despise and downe her selfe she speedes â–ª To ground that late she did contemne and there apace she feedes Then I which held my peace so long such silence for to breake Addrest my selfe and not affrayd her tale to stoppe gan speake Bycause quod I the sunne as now gan westward first descend And night doth hast his course to vse before this light do wende Away from vs and darknesse coÌ„mes a few things shew to me O goddesse milde no matrone thou but seemes a ghost to be What name the woman had of late that I saw yonder stand Besydes the Quene what the boyes be that she led in hand Then in this sorte shee aunswered me doubt not thou shalt discerne By me if time do nothing let all that thou seekes to learne Unworthy things thou hast not askt I will therfore resight Her now that on the left hand goes and greedy but shee hight Her great delight is for to eate and night and day to drinke The greatest sorte do worship her and for a god her thinke With ioyfull hearts the flaming wines in gilded holes they mash And costly cates on bourdened bourdes the gredy guts they grash The chiefest good they think to be this belly god to serue But out of doubt I thee assure they from the truth do swerue For nothing is more vile than this nor harmeth more the state Of man The beastes for onely lyfe did Joue aboue create But man for life and reason to and that he should excell And so be like vnto the sainctes which in the heauens dwell He ordaynde hath to rule the earth but they that loue the yoke Of gredinesse and belly ioyes are dull and with the smoke Of fuming meates their wit is darckt like as the cloudes the sunne Ne may they yet the truth discerne but chiefly when begunne Hath boyling wines within the brest to blinde and dull the witte And when the paunch is stuffed ful for bookes they be vnfitte Wherby it often coÌ„mes to passe their witte but small to bee The end that nature plaste them for they cleane for sake we see Nor more they knowe than doth y e herd of Shepe or Oxen dull Yea lesse sometyme when as with wine their beastly braynes be full When as for one two lightes they see with borde and wall to daunce O dronkennesse the death of minde the broode of all mischaunce What thing dost thou not force y e mind of man to take in hande What dare not he attempt thorow thee both strife wyth brawling and Most cruell frayes thou mouest him to thou ioyest when bloud is shead By thee are secretes eft reuealde wyth minde and tong made dead Both feare and shame fastnesse also full farre they flye from thee Shunne you this plague O wretches now that makes you mad to be And euen as as mad as once Drestes was with mothers might What filthier thing what beaste more vile than is the dronken wight The meate that he not long before hath fast deuoured vp He perbrakes out he trembles eke and stinketh of the cup. Ful oft he falles and breaks his browes his eyes and legs withall His stutting wordes he stamereth out no man perceiue him shall Much things he sayth much he doth that when the night is gone And sunne is present here agayne he sorrowes sore vppon The Mace donian King the sonne of Phillip graund le Roy In dronken mode at table once his frends did all destroy But when the cups their fumes had left and wit returnde agayne He found the fault w t tears he mournd and wisht himself as slayne Why boast you with your Orgies vain in woodes of Citheron Your Thias dauÌ„ce why brag you now your foolyshe druÌ„ms vpon No God your Bacchus is Iwis that comes of Cadmus line Nor Joue him got of Semels wombe as Poetes doe define But hell hath him engendred lo Begera is his dame No God he is but doth despise the gods and hates their name For godlinesse they nought estreme that haunt the pots of wyne Nor well can vse the dronken priest the Sacraments deuine What neede I here for to resite what sicknesse and what paines Excesse of meate and to much drinke doth brede within the vaines From hence doe flow euen as it were from euerlasting spring The axesse and the botche the byle wyth scaule and scurfe itching The goute oppressing hands and fete wyth bleared dropping eyes Wyth wine the quiuering ioyntes they quake froÌ„ iawes the teeth out flies With sodayne death stomacks paine and fulsome stinking breath A greater sory than sworde hath slayne excesse hath done to death Besydes the goods be straight coÌ„sumde and downe the guttes do sâ—ing The fielde the house the houshold stuffe and euery other thing And now both poore and base he is whose riches late were greate Eate thou wher by thy lyfe may last but liue not thou to eate I haue thee here declared now the woman what she hight And now the boy with nodding noule I wyll thee here resight The boy is hers and of her borne and labour him begat His name is slepe his nourse is leth his fode is poppey fat He brother germaine is to death but not as she doth last He doth refresh the weried limmes wyth dayly labour past He doth expell the cares of men and calleth strength agayne Without the ayde of him no man his life may well sustayne Yet hurtes he much and doth the minde in certayne wise oppresse Diseases breedes and ouls the corps oft vsed with excesse If foode be small he small will be for when the meate is spent The corps doth wake or else doth rest wyth little
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
that makes the seas to roare That driues the foming flouds w t force vnto the ratling shore And shakes encldsde in caues the earth wherby commes tumbling downe The buildings byg of euery bowre and strength of euery towne But some perchaunce do doubt if God whome we chief good do call An end may be syth we haue told before that end of all A framed thing must be and here this end to haue we say Beginning and a midst thereto which all men wyl denay He alwayes was and styll shall lyue no end to him can be All things he made and of no man was euer framed he Before him nothing could be seene nothing can after bide This doubt wyth answer for to loose loe thus I do prouide The workman fyrst and maker hero of all the world and all Things in the same contayned clere this same we God do call The end of all the world likewyse and all thing in the same Him God that guides the stars aboue him god we also name Yet lawfull therfore is it not a worke to thinke this same For euery end is not a work his minde that worke doth frame Sekes not the work alone to make but farther doth intend As he that frames a chest doth not his paynes and labour spend The chest alone to make but for some other cause it frame As somthing for to kepe therein or else to sell the same More worthie euer is the ende the later it doth fall And worser things to better driue so God is ende of all To whome eche eyther thing contendes for whom the world doth stand And all things eke therein that be and for himselfe his hand Created al and not for vs as some syr Johns do say That call and bawle in euery church and lead pore soules astray Wyth words they doltes of Dawcockes make what cause what wit of ours What noblenesse what goodnesse is contaynd wythin our powrs For which the world so vast shuld frame so great a prince as he We all are full of fylthy vice and fooles we also be Scarce one in all the world there is whom poyson doth not try Of greedy scraping auarice or fylthy lechery Whom swelling pryde doth neuer vexe whome yre or pleasure blinde Doth not throw hedloÌ„g down why then what goodnesse can we finde In vs or what desertes that might so great a workman moue The skies the seas the fruteful earth to frame for our behoue Loues not he gentle vndeserude so thou perchaunce wylt say This is but fond for who wyll loue the vnthankful wretch alway But he that wit doth lacke belyde whose natures disagree So much what meanes or how may loue betwene them be For God himself all tymes surmounts in whome no end is spyde Nor neuer he beginning had yet end of all besyde And fyrst begynning eke he is most chiefe omnipotent Aboue all things than whome more good can no mans head inuent Or yet a Lord of greater power or one more excellent Who hath no nede of any thing yet all things nede his might Who eche doth beholde and yet not subiect to our sight Contayning all good things in him and voyd of eche ill deede We contrary as misers borne of vile and fylthy seede To wayling woes and dolefull teares and thousand daungers dyre Continually wyth these or those diseases set on fyre But little tymeÌ„ remayning here and that in griefe and payne Alas in what an errors myst our liues we here do trayne Howe eche one weake of minde we be wyth diuers chaunces dolde Lamenting this and wayling that in fraud and vices bolde Who after that we waded haâ—e through cares and â—arking thought Are here compeld this life to yeld resolued sone to nought The distance vs betwene and God this ergo doth declare More great to be 〈◊〉 if we should the seely flea compare Unto the mighty Elephant what knot of amity Can knit these two good geffes in one that so vnequall be Thinkst thou thys flea may haue y e loue of this same monster strong Wyth like doth loue and concord dwell and eke th'vnlike among Alwayes doth hate and discord raine smal fayth at least with them ther is Hereby some sorte appeare whom men prophane our law do iudge and they that cowles do weare Call hereticks account vs mad and doltheads vs do call Bicause we hope the Skies to see and liue the Gods wythall For euermore in happy life wyth diuers other toyes Which folish minde and prating tong do promise vs as ioyes For speach doth make vs beastes excell wher if we lackd the same Which God vs giues eke our handes by which we all things frame No beast more vile than we were then no beast in worser case For these two aboue the rest giues nature all her grace Here of doth all our pride arise there of eche Arte begonne For voyce doth warne the present what to doe or what to shonne And letters to the absent speake for if a beast might show By wordes the secret motions hid in heart that he doth know If talke among them might be had if that their syngers fyne were apt to write no doubt we might bcholde an Aue sometime Of greater wit than we and beastes of euery other kinde would greater reason haue in them than man in vs may finde And boldely durst themselues preferre eche other wight before And eke the Asso would proue himselfe of estimation more Than vs the tongue and hande therfore not reason causeth thus Eche other kinde of beast to be a Subiect vnto vs This they affirme and more besyde if men be borne they say Of parents dumme whose handes are maunde or cut from them away And line in woodes not nere to townes and tongue and hand doe faile Like other beastes I pray thee what can humaine wit preuaile what reason shall in them ayeare thinkest thou they will not leade Their liues as vils as other beastes what wisedome may they pleade More than the reast of brutishe sort one sprite they al possesse Though it vnlike doe seme to be bicause they doe expresse In body diuers forme and haue of great diuersitie Their membres all wher to is toynde a diuers facultie If diuers Carpenters you bring like learned in their feat If some of them lack instruments no doubt the diffrence great Must needes amongst them be for they can nothing do That want eche kinde of tole that doth belong their worke vnto Nor after him shall Orpheus draw the beastes and rockes so hie If he shoulde lacke his musicke sweete ne once would Paris flie Being armed wel at euery poynt vnarmed fierce Achill Wyth such a sorte of reasons vile these fooles our cares do fyll But more of them perchaunce I wyl hereafter bring to light When I shall of the soule of man some sentences resight For there I wyl it proue deuine immortal eke to be which two of beasts no man wil graunt now where we stayd wil we
as doth the sunne full bright Amid the starres and doth despise the force of fortunes might And vnderneath his fete doth treade eche harme wyth constant minde Nor moued is besyde wyth feare or dread of death vnkinde Nor feareth once the paynes of Hell but takes wyth myrth his graue And laughes to scorne the fansies fond that common people haue Not douting here this lyfe to leaue repleate wyth wretchednesse And ful of toyles hereby to get eternall quietnesse In fine he equall is to Joue to him adherent be Four things For wel he counsel giues and clearly iudgeth he All error quite from him remoude he guideth also right Both humaine things and eke deuine are subiect to his sight This last that I haue here rehearst is chiefest of all the rest Than which there is no greater thing that here may be passest But no man can this wisedome haue tyll cleane he purged bee From euery haynous vice and crime and all iniquitie For wisedome doth deny to dwell amyd the sinfull hart And hateth eke the mindes vnpure sith she is purest parte And no man can this wisedome haue except he be discreate And learned be in many Artes know these to be the feate Wyth which is wisedome free obtaynd wherof I would say more But time commaundes me here to shut and end this booke before My Lions tale hath long enough continued here hir stile Wherfore my muse now hold thy peace and rest thy self a while Virgo the sixt Booke SOme I beleue of cancred minde and of malicious face Who thinke they only know the troth and only haue the grace Al doutful things wyth iudgemeÌ„t right and knowledge full to trie Wil say I neuer tasted yet the blessed springs that lie In Aone fieldes nor sacred flouds that Phocidos doth frame Nor that the Laurell leafe I doe deserue nor Poets name Bycause I write not fansies fond and monsters maruellous And fayning not deceyue the eares of such as credit vs. For they suppose the Poets parte is only lies to tell As if it were a thing to vile for them wyth troth to mell And lawfull not their iudgements I accompt both naught and vayne And sweeter semeth farre to me the truth for to retayne To aged wiues and witlesse boyes such trifles I be take Some barke abrode the battels big that Giauntes great did make With Gorgons grun and Harpies vile and mighty Ciclops wilde And shipmen sore enflamde with song of plesaunt mermaides milde with Circes old that monstrous hag and beastes that thre heds weares Chymera vile and Atlas strong whose mighty shoulders beares The starry skies ichangd to rocke that cloudes hath forrowed eft with Persea hie and Tantalus Promotheus wretched theft And Titius stout and Belides and what so euer more The doting grece hath Latins taught in long time here cofore I wish not I so much to drincke of Aganippes streames Nor seke I so the Laurel leafe of glistring Phebus beames with Juey leaues the hears to decke wherby I so might fain A poet thus to be I blush and am ashamed plam If nedes we must suche trifles wright and vse suche pleasaunt lies Troth thus despisoe of many toung is had but few are wise Beleue me well and many wright with hauty verses hie And many haue the Grecians toung and latin perfectly And while so many thinges they know their wisdome is but thin With regal wordes theyr stile is dekt but small effect within The outward Image only shewes and picture light we spy But what good thing remains therin what frute is had therby What learneth he that readeth them what knowledge hath he got But dreames and folish fansies fond that lise here profit not which for to know and not to know is all of one effect Though they me Poet call or not I wil not yet neglect The troth to say and lies to shunne truthe makes the perfect minde which who so euer most doth know approcheth niste the kinde Of saintes aboue and happiest is although the folishnesse Of people rude him not commend nor prayse his worthinesse Nor fauour him as he deserues nor titles of him tel Wherfore my muses now approch and Sicophants farewel Behold I enter now the way which with a lothsome shade The Cipresse and the Yeutree hides with leaues that neuer fade The doleful fieldes and darksome raign of Proserpuâ—e I see Wherin the Letheus riuer runs with streames that darkned be Amid the poyson fieldes abrode doth slepy Popey spring On silent shores Calliopey wherto dost thou me bring What monsters for to se dost thou commaund what noyse to harke With doleful noyse of irksome Owles soundes al the wodes so darke The Howlats cry with woful tunes and loud lamenting noyse O muse wherto dost thou me bring behold with wailing voyce The hilles and valleis all do roar and â—ccho back doth beat The mourning times an answer giues what grief is this so great What is the cause of mischief such what kinde of people those That all be cladde in mourning blacks and wailing vesture goes What men are they that thus in blacke with weping fil the skies Alas what sight of bodies slain lie here before mine cies What hath here causde this bloudy broyle who made this slaughter fel How many kinges and bishops bones lye here I know them wel Is yen same death aloofe that comes with bloudy sithe in hand With dredful face and ghaslley looke before whose face doth stand A thousand heapes of sicknesses a thousand daungers cake O armed with to fierce a gard my thinckes I hear him speake With clamoure great as he doth come to him I wil geue eare And what I hard wyth all my hart I wil declare them heare That death I am that with my sythe right downe do cut like hay All thinges that liue vpon the earth the rule and eke the sway Of all the world hath I oue me delt and biddes me none to spare But hie and low to slea and kil them downe with equal share Wherby may none escape my handes not one can flie from me The hauty heds of mighty kings by me suppressed be The pride and pompe of prelates flour I cause a downe to fall No kinde of creature here doth liue but vnto vs is thrall Although he flying pearse the partes of northern Boreas ground And passe the ragged â—iphean rockes yet shall mine ire be found And he my power and stroke shal fele or though he do descend The southern parts wher shineth bright the starres to vs vnkend Yet there he shall me surely finde and finding me shall die â—y sithe both East and west doth kill I set not richesse by How many men hath this my hand downe cast from state on hie And hedlong shoued with mortal might in darksome graue to lie I wel remember Priam once when staine at altare stone He sacrificed was to me the guid of Macedone The proud with fighting hand that put so many realmes to flight To
is who can we good now fynde Of his owne selfe not one who not of yll and wicked minde Such one as feare of King or lawes prohibites to offend Or such as cannot wel perfourme the crime he doth entend It is not easy sure to winne and nature put to flight Nor for to stay the furies fell within the heart that fight Wherfore it needeful is to striue from yeres of youthful trayne With dayly flight and labours great the vices to restrayne For custome wonted is to break the force of nature sure If that by many yeares it hath bene vsed to endure Mannes life a warrefare ergo is eche fielde the enimy Possesseth ful al ful of theeues such gynnes who then can fly So many nets who can escape for when that fortune smyles Then creepes in fond laciuiousnesse and stings with thousand wiles Fast by encampeth swelling pride with slouth and gluttony And folish boldnesse strayght doth ryse wyth griefe and feare thereby And â—ayson fel of enuy and yre doth then possesse his minde When as he liues in great vnhap then seekes he for to finde Al meanes he can away to driue his wretched pouerty Then false he playes he robs steales his lack for to supply Oh Lord thus wise are mortal men betwene the cruel rockes Of Charibdis and Scilla tost of both receyue they knockes And while they seke these yls to shunne to other straight they fall If valeant they do seeke to be then daungers dire they shall And yrkesome labours also fele if vertue they do heede That guides the actes of mortal men then them commaundeth neede Al ioyes away to driue and put and eke wyth saged sawe A life vnpleasant for to leade If iust and righteous lawe Seeke any man for to obserue then profyt must away This iustice is of many praysde and fewe retayne it aye If prudence any man do please he must in any case Beware he put his trust in none for now in euery place Are great deceytes and perils rise and wyth simplicity In fine who that is good receaues most often harme we see He least in safety liues and feeles more hurt than al the rest For this same world a storehouse is where mischiefes al be prest All goodnesse here exiled is the simple Hares thereby The fearfull Hart the harmelesse gotes their bane come sonest by But rare the hunter hunts the Beare amyd the woods so hie The Lion reasts go now thy wayes and leade thou simply A gentle life wyth innocents that soner so thou may Unto the greedy gaping wolues become a grateful pray The world alas doth now abound with tirants ouer al The strong tread vnder fote the weake the mighty hurt the smal The Egles chase the fearful Swannes the Haukes doe Throstles kil And sary simple seely doues destroyes with croked byl The speckled Serpent kylls the Frogs and Lizartes vp doth eate And in the woods the greatest beastes of lesser make their meate Thou monsters also doest possesse O seas of mighty powre That wyth a gaping greedy throte the little fysh deuoure Not sea not earth not aire is safe the enmy euery where Is now at hand it profits smal to liue vnhurtful here Beholde how good is vertues parte that goodnesse here doth trayne For when ye haue it gotten once with labour and great payne Amid your enmies al she doth you thus vnarmed send But thou wilt say such vertuousnesse do lawes and Kings defend O would to God that this were so but now in euery place With money lawes corrupted arâ— and eke the Princes grace Is pleasde with precious gifts and sute the lawes set them on rack That eyther haue no pens to pay or frendship else do lack The other scape as innocents howsoeuer iudgement trye Lyke as the fly that smallest is in weaued Cobweb hye That Spyder makes remayneth wrapt where if a greater stray She breakes the nettes flyes abrode The lawes as wel doth say That Barbarous sage of Scythia the seely soule doth tye Where as the rich and mighty men burst through ful easily The other parte of vertue that doth search wyth studious payne And for to knowe the causes hyd of nature doth obtayne And froth to learne that scarce you can at any time come by How hard and ful of payne it is they knowe that it do try Fyrst vnder maisters rule wyth strypes they are constraynde to liue And there accoumpt of lessons hard with feare and teares to giue Shut vp as it in prison were whereby they may not goe Abrode wythout the tyrants leaue although them forceth thoe The office of the Campo Clubbe restraynt of Blathers might Though hunger pricke and lust to play wherein they most delight But when the yeares of youthful state approching present stand Then nede requires more diligence some one then sekes the land Wherein Anthenor last arriued with raging flouds to striue Of Venice gulâ—e to Naples else through Tuscan seas doth driue An other fast to Perouse sayles or gayneward Rome do fâ—eete There from his countrey farre exilde wyth many woes to meete With lack of meate and quiet sleepes and want of Venus play On bookes wyth study for to loke applying day by day For otherwyse can none be learnd except wyth vntrue fame For fewe are learned now in deede but many are in name Joyes hurt them much pleasures â—ke that seke for to attayne To top of learnings palace hie for this beates back agayne Their mindes from treading crabbed pathes by which the iourney bends To fayre Mineruaes holy house For he that thus intendes A name throughout the world to get must suffer dayly payne Great griefs hereby some men wyth yll digestion eft sustayne Of many whilste to much they reade both syght and eyes decay By study great their stomack rawe their colour falles away Then leannesse coÌ„mes w t wayward age nor maruel is it thoe Sith for to knowe the truth doth styll beyond mannes nature goe And proper is to God alone Like as the Owle of night Can not beholde the shining Sunne with clere and perfect sight So fares the minde of man as oft as it intends to flye Aloft to search the secret things falles headlong strayght from hye Now mortal men dare reache at things to Gods appropriate And foolisher they proue themselues the more they seke the state Of things whereof the knowledge doth pertaine to them no whit Except that God grauÌ„t them from hye both reason grace and wit But happy are the Aungels all for they the worlde doe know What thing it is how much how great whereof it fyrst did grow The Lorde and maker of the same all things that may be thought The Causes hid the priuie strengthes whereby all things are wrought This is the lyfe that they doe leade and this their pleasure all On meate or sleepe they neuer thinke to griefes they are not thrall No hope of gaine no feare of losse doth cause them for to fret But
he gaue As Kyuers must leaue of theyr course when springs their stremes deny And yet it followes not therfore the spring it selfe be drye For of it selfe it yeldes the streame and hanges at no mans tayle So God doth of himselfe consyst and therfore cannot fayle If altogither perishe should yet fayles not he therfore For what consysteth of it selfe must last for euermore When onely of himselfe he sâ—ayes and nedes no helper by When as by force he cannot quayle and wyll not willingly He is all and whole the rest but part yet in no such degree That of those partes he purest shoulde himselfe compounded bee But by his vertue he is all bicause he fyrst did frame The worlde so wide and all things else conteyned in the same All things that liue and voide of lyfe all things that doe appere And hidden syghts he only made and doth preserue them here In this wyse therfore is he all as seede is all the tree Wherof springs vp the mighty boole whose braunches shadowers bee Some doubt if God a body haue and thus doe they beleue That nothing voide of body is that sense cannot perceue And therefore now we will attempt the trouth therof to see Of quantitie and qualitie all bodies needes must bee For by these two state sensible the body doth receiue Take these away what doth remaine that senses may perceiue All quantities and qualities compounded euer bee And God of nature syngle is as late I tolde to thee Adde more to thys that bodyes all of forme and matter bee Nor God can be of such a power as boundes may comprehends When he abides for euermore least so the worlde should ende Nor body none is voide of boundes but all are measurable The compast forme hath his precinets whose fashyon is most laudable So hath the Square and Triangle and all the shapes that bee This reason proues no body is but it may measurde bee And thus I proue this body here in equall partes deuide Whereof the halfe let A possesse and B the other syde I here demaunde if A as much as B can doe or if these twaine Be infinite so one shall serue and thother shal be vaine If both haue power determinate the whole must haue the same But who so seekes the vnbounded thing of bounded partes to frame Shall proue vnwyse and thus ensewes the maker chiefe of all No body hath But some there be perchaunce that aunswere shall God is a body infinite hut this doe I deny For so should he eche place fill vp and leaue none voide wherby The rest should neuer be containde so worlde there should be none Nor we remaine nor any thing saue he himselfe alone Besydes synce body here in life is of more noble state Than sensses Corse we must not doubte but lyfe of hygher rate Than Careasse is But here I aske if life a substance be If not then substance were more vile and of more base degree Than that which substance is without and if you bring in this In suffring such absurditie the scholemen all will hisse But if that lyfe a substance be then body is but vaine Since of it selfe is can consyst and seuered 〈◊〉 remaine And why should â—od a â—ody take synce he at libertie Doth best enioy his state and hath no such necessitie It is a thing super fluous eke by which the lyfe enclosed As prisoners like is barde the place wherto it is best disposed Therefore that chiefe Almighty Prince eternall good and wyse No body hath Now will I shewe why many doe despyse Thys reason and doe thinke it vaine the cause hereof doth spring That drounde in bodies grosse blinded sense they know no other thing But bodyes here as through a glasse wyth any colour stainde Whosoeuer lookes ech thing shal iudge of colour that is fained Yet must we know and doutlesse think that diuers things there be That eyther voyde of bodyes lyue or of such pure degre Their bodyes are that neyther eyes of ours can them beholde Nor sense discerne and so more worth than ours a thousand folde Which thus perchaunce may proued be all grosse and wayghty things How much the more of earthly drofse annexde to them forth brings So much more base and vyler be than that which seemes to flowe Of fyne and purer matter wrought all mettals this doth showe For looke when as by feruent heate of Fyrie flames they frye They straightwaies melt basest parts wherein most earth doth lye As nothing worth falles out to drosse the purest and most fine With better sounde and better shape before the eye doth shine So Bread is best of purest meale wherof the Masters eate Of grosser is the seruants foode the worst is Mastyues meate So Water Wyne and Oyle wyth like the worthyest of them bee Such as most cleare and subtill seeme and lyghtest in degree So meate the baser and grosest part by syege away doth fade The finest part remaines wherof Fleshe Bloud and strength is made What is the cause that common stones so rude and rusty lye Where marble the precious gemmes doe glyster in the eye Nought else but that in one of them lesse drosse of earth is founde In thother grosse and heauy moulde hath syght and value drounde Therfore more foule and baser farre such things are indgde to be Wherein most earth remaines wherby they are calde of lesse degree As drosse we take lesse golde to be or golde of baser myne We can not call so iustly Golde as that already fyne For of all Elaments the earth the vylest hath bene thought And as the rubbish of the reâ—â—e cast by when they were wrought Therfore the wysest workman fyrst dyd cause it lowe to lye That distant farre it should remaine remoued from the skye And thick in ball he cast it rounde more lesse and small to bee That saints might haue more plain prospect that liste the world to see For when God had dect the world wyth Starres in trym araye What drosse remaynde he bade y e winds to clense and swepe awaye Then in with hasty course they rushe their Lordes awarde to do The Northwinde blowes y e Southwind huffes the West and East set to With striuing blasts they swepe y e fieldes and rounde in heape they cast Whatsoeuer they finde constraining it the earth is framed and lefte Which banished from the heauens hye straight downe to center fell No place more farre nor base appeares where nygher shee might dwell Besyde of weaker force it is and eke of smaller power Than all the reast of Elaments are and feblest of the fower For if by feruent heate of Sunne it be constrained to gape Or pearced with Plow it cannot ioyne nor take his former shape The waters if they parted be doe straight returne in one And voide of all diuisyon semes as if there had bene none So doth the ayre and fier eke if these deuided be At fyrst they ioyne againe so that no signe
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
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
here ar made through his almighty state For if the soule perceaues and knowes and vnderstandeth al We may not thinke it substance such as we may body cal Sych bodies moue not earth nor ayre not floud nor fyry flame Nor any thing that these haue made hath power as hath this same we neede not doubt but soule proceedes and doth from Joue discend And neuer dyes whome he permits the world to comprehend What if so be the Atoâ—â—yes that sundry wise men fayne The soule is rather thought to be than body to maintayne Al Bodies be of quantity and may deuided be But soule is vndiuidable and of no grosse degree And as a Center doth she seeme where many lynes do mete Which senses do conuey to hir as floudes to seas do flete Wherefore I maruel much at such as thinke a like decay And iudge the soule no more to be when body fades away For if so be it might be proued yet should it not be sayd Nor published to the common sort nor euery where displayed For many wicked men and yll there are which if they thought Their soules as nothing shall remayne when corse to graue is brought Nor that it feeles or suffers ought when it goeth hence away And that no punishment remaynes for prancks that here they play A thousand mischiefs would they doe take feare from them among And fall to euery villany confounding right wyth wrong Besydes a number now that thinke in blessed state to be When death hath them destroied hope the face of God to see And euermore wyth him to ioy and therfore vertuously Do seke to passe their present lyfe wych Godly modesty If they shall see that after death do no rewardes remaine Amased al their vertuous workes shall ceasse and perishe playne So many stately temples trimmed so many altares hie Wyth golde and marble garnished and decked sumptuously Besyde Religion Godly zeale honour and worshipping Of God shal come to nought if after death remayne nothing That men hope for if that the soule as winde doth passe away Of wilde and franticke common sorte Religion must be stay And feare of smart For mischieuous and full of fraude theyr brayne Is alwayes seene nor of themselues they well doe meane or plaine The common people vertue loath and euer more doe hate Religion is the comelinesse and glory of our state Which makes the Gods to fauour vs which we winne Heauen by No wyse nor good man therfore dare attempt here openly To teache y t soule shall come to naught and so corrupt the mindes Of rude vnskilfull common sort that wauer lyke the wyndes Now must we proue by reason good that soule doth neuer dye And free from sting or darte of death doth liue eternally As he that preacheth Christ declares and Greshop eater Jewe That for synnes vtterly despysed which God that all things knewe Would not haue made if he had thought it had bene nedelesse here And nations all with one consent account it to be clere And first the thing resembling most the mightyest Lorde of al Of longer lasting tyme we graunt and perfecter must call For that which doth not long endure but shortly doth decay That it should be vnperfecter who is that will say nay And therefore doe celesâ—iall things a greater whyle endure Bicause they are more perfecter and more diuine and pure But things that nerer are to earth and farthest of from skyes Unperfect since they are do fade and sonest euer dyes Shall then our soule synce it in lyfe and knowledge doth appere Most lyke vnto the state diuine be closed and shut vp here With body for to ende nor shall it here haue longer place Than fading fleshe or shall it liue more great nor larger space Besydes the soule can not decay thys reason wytnesse shal Bycause it is of syngle state and voyd of matter al. Adde this that when the body fades the force of minde doth growe As weake and aged fathers olde do more of councell knâ—w Than youthful blouds of yonger yeres and often lacks he wit That doth excel in strength and force For rare doth God permit To any one both strength and wyt Wherefore if force brought low By space and course of many yeares the minde doth stronger grow Of Body doth it not depend but of it selfe consist Another thing and after graue doth lyue and death resist Doth not besyde when fote doth ake the minde iudge thereof playne It is no doubt But how can griefe to towre of minde aâ—â—ayne Doth it ascend from lowest partes as smoke doth vpward flye No for many partes not foote alone if so should ake thereby Nor of the foote but of the parte that nerest is to minde The ache shuld grieue this shewes that soule is not of bodies kinde And so is free from death since it in distance needes no meane Adde this when wee would cal to minde the thing forgotten cleane Or else deuise some worthy fetche from minde the senses al It then behoues to gather vp whereby doth often fal That many better for to muse do shut and close their eyes Or else forsaking company some secret place deuise Or when the night with darksome cloud the earth doth ouerspred And creatures all wyth heauy sleepes do take their rest in bed They styll do watch and silent al vpon their beds do rest And light put out in darknesse wâ—et their minde wyth body oppresâ— For senses do the minde disturbe affections it destroyes Amasing it wyth dulnesse great and blindnesse it anoyes None otherwyse than cloudes do hyde the Sunne that clearly shynes If therfore when it doth remayne wythin his owne confines And flying farre from senses al and cares that body brings It wyser be then shal it knowe and vnderstand al things In better sort when it is free and from the flesh doth flye More perfect of it self it is and lyues continuallye Besyde when man as meane consystes the Saints and beastes betwixt Some parte wyth eche he coÌ„mon holdes wyth beastes his body mixt And wyth the saintes his minde agrees one of these partes doth dye Of the other Death can haue no power but liues continuallye Death therfore takes not al away for why his deadly dartes Doth neuer harme the soule a whâ—â— when it from body partes And more than thys I haue to say if nothing doe remaine Of vs when carcasse lyes in tombe God shall be called plaine Uniust and one that fauour shewes to such as naughtly lyue For such for terme of all their lyfe no sorrowes them doe grieue No riches lacke nor pleasures great but happily reioyce Exalted with promotions hye and wyth the Commons voice On the other syde the vertuous men a thousande griefes molest Now sore diseased now plagued w c nede in fine alwayes oppresâ— Therfore the soule liues after graue and feeles deserued paynes And if it haue done iustly here a Crowne of glory gaines By these and many other wayes I coulde declare no doubt That
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
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 felt and found And Naples that wyth Mermaydes tomb so famous lately ioyed Beholding now hir orchards fayre wyth French mens hands destroied Alas doth heauy mourne by streames of Sebethes so cleare What should I tel the woÌ„drous flames that in the skyes appeare More bright than dayes locusts grim like cloudes the Sunne to hide And tender corue with gredy iawes to spoyle on euery syde How many cities woful plague and piteous famine sore Hath quite depriued of Citizens how many places more Wyth flouds are almost perished Alas now instly now doth God plague vs in sundry case What mischief do we not commyt what iustice is in place What loue or seruice here of God Religion now is made An occupation for the purse a Marchandise and trade The sacred rytes are aye defyled wyth hands of bandy mates Yet loke theron and let it passe the Kings and Princely states And honour due to Christ aboue they not esteeme nor way Thus ouer vs pore misers here such blockes do beare the sway Therefore I wyl go hence a while and in Parnasus hyll Until my Muse doth cal me forth lye close and secrete styll Sagittarius the ninth Booke IT waxeth light now Muse enough wythin Castalian lake We rested haue the wrest therfore and Harp in hand go take Set strings in tune and with thy grace accustomed to thy kinde Sing Goddesse auncient melody good verses fyl thy minde That erst Apollo wonted was in Bay tree woods to tel While he by riuer stoode that runnes from out Permessus Wel. Us calles behold another ioyle wherein some prayse ooth lye Let vs from hautye place and top of Parnas hylles so bye Beholde the sundry mindes of men and eke their liuing marke Nowe past the middest of surging seas had runne my sayling barke And now the toppes of lofty trees wyth frosty ryndes were white When as a certaine God vnknowne by me stoode vp in syght And shining wyth his beames deuine expellde the blackishe night A certaine rock I then behelde whose top did reache so hye That passing cloudes aboue it might discouer plaine the skye Harde semed it first to enter vp for ragged stones there was Placed round about which made y e way both straight and ill to passe The bottom all beset wyth bryers the mydst more mylde againe And nerer as it comes to skyes the path appeares more playne And easyer to be trauailed Theorea eke it hyght Hereto me straightwayes did conduct my Ghost and guiding spright To top wherof when as we came I myght beholde and see Eche place with woÌ„drous syghts fulfild and furnished to bee Which if my tong would here declare the Sunne should soner slyde To lowest partes and night the earth with misty cloke should hyde Whyle as I stay and gase vpon the large and ioyfull syghtes Lo fallyng from the skyes aloft a voice these wordes recytes Stellatus bowe thy knees and here thy humble prayers make Unto the Almighty king without whose grace thou canst not take The pleasant pleasures of this meunt Therefore in humble wyse Kneele thou to God for fauour all doth fall to earth from skyes For nothing is wherof to man can greater profyte flowe Than heauenly helpe with holy prayers to get and God to knowe When thys I hearde vpon the earth my face and hande vpright I bowed my knees and poured out these words in harty plight O Father great of saints chiefe powre that in the worlde may be Than whom may neuer thing be found nor thought of more degree Remoued farre from body here yet framing fashyons all Both such as neuer fade and such as times at length lett es fall The first and of beginning voide the fountaine whence doth spring All kinde of good of nature eke the auctor â–ª guide and king That all things here dost comprehende comprended thou of none The hye Almighty Maiesty and chiefest good alone Lyfe wysedome order praise and ende minde truth way lyght and grace No where thy selfe inhabiting and dwelling in eche place Unmoueable and mouing giuest to all and euery thing From whom in whom eke by whome all kynde of things do spring In one estate remaining styll and changing in no time The chiefest cause that rowling aye the Globe where starres doe shine Doest guide by fixed law th appointed force of destenye Of Lordes the greatest Lorde of all and King of Kings most hye Before whose face a thousande beastes of Angels glystering bright Doe minister with ioyfull hymnes in presence of thy syght Amidst the ample fieldes of lyght aboue the worlde so hye Where aptest place and seate there is for things of certaintye I worship thee I honor thee and prostrate here on face I lyft mine eyes desyring thee wyth mylde and cherefull grace Upon me synfull man to looke and heare my earnest crye Poure downe into my earthly brest thy beames of lyght from hye Driue darkenesse froÌ„ my minde opprest alas in dolefull wyse Whyle in consuming carcasse here and fading fleshe it lyes Graunt me the perfect path to finde least harmefull errors sting wyth fansy fonde and iudgement blind in synne me headlong fling For without thee the wit of man and force of mortall kinde while it intendes to mount a loft receiues a greater fall As Icarus whose wyngs him faylde when he flewe hyest of all Graunt therfore O most mighty king to mee thy creature lowe Thy will to learne and thee to please and then that I may knowe Mine own estate from whence I came and wherto I was made And whether I at length shall passe when that from hence I fade what here in lyfe I should perfourme and what I should not doe That when dame Lachesis my threde of lyfe hath snapt in two And that the farthest day is come that long with priuie stelth Procurde my graue death bring my rest and part of sauing helth These words thus sayde an other voice againe did pearce my eares Thalmighty Lorde thou pleased hast thy prayer full well he heares Pluck vp Stellatus now thy heart to thee for to remaine Here on this mount it graunted is and sacred fruites to gaine Thys said forthwith the voice did ceasse nor worde it vttered more Then in my minde a greater force I felt than earst afore And sharper syght then looked I forth all things descerning well And for my eyes they myght presume olde Linceus to excell With that I felt a subtill wynde to lyft me vp on hye which softly causde me to ascende to toppe of starry skye Much lyke the byrde that beares y e darts that â—ulcans forge dyd frame That when we synne y e thunder thomps doe fling and flashe oft â—â—ame And nowe approcht I nere the Moone whose gaâ—es I had in iyght Wherof part glistred all with golde and part with syluer white I entre in beholding al when straight with me doth meete Timalphes yong of vertues great and eke of fauoure sweete Whom of Arete Ioue begaâ— in auncient
as the beames from Phaebus fal I then beheld this vggly fiend placde vnder cloth of state That in his hand the scepter held of mischiefe pride and haâ—e From him doth spring fâ—l bloudy coÌ„bs â–ª and seauen hornes in bight The number like of lofty towers in shewe resembling right His eares hys nostrilles and hys eyes all fyerie filthy glowe And from his dampishe throte he doth the smoky flames out throwe Alas how farre the number great of hys companions spreade What armyes armed all wyth dartes and gunnes thys fiende doth leade As if he would the heauens burst and saincts from thence expell Then quoth my guide thys diuell once in beautie did excell And most with God in fauour stoode but minde disposed ill And pryde to prosprous state alied thys Miser quite did spyll For lyke to God he nedes would be and honours equall haue And thus from thence was banished the proude presumptuous slaue Whom Michaell as he was assynde in grisley cloude hath tyde And there apointed him hys place where he should styll abyde But often of hys olde estate and ioyes of passed â—yme Remembring well in vaine he striues and thinkes the skyes to clime Hereof doth come the thunder crackes and fearefull flames of lyght And gastly syghtes of fyre doe flashe from cloudes as darke as night The beastes for feare amased stande and heartes of men doe quake But vext in vaine and to no ende hys trauayles doth he take Nor nerer can he come to skyes And he that guide of lyght was once and called Lucifer loues now to walke by night And darkenesse best of all estemes and leades with him hys sprightes And bugges and goblins grimme or hel and such deformed syghtes Sometimes by day when as he ioyned a troupe of armed knaues And strawes w t bloudy Corses y e fieldes or drowneth shippes in wanes Or when such mischief great he works Then comes he forth by lyght But close and sendes abrode hys men in secret priuie plight Which moues the hearts of wicked mâ— and them with fury â—illes And secretely with sylent voice persuades theyr minde yo ylles But then quoth I I thee beseeche my guide let vs now leaue These monstrous Diuels to beholde and state of man perceaue For from thys mount we easely may both lande and seas discrye Nor profite small I thee assure in thys prospect doth lye Then gased we both vpon the earth and fyrst I wondred most To see such diuers colours strange in men of sundry cost For those that nerest leade theyr lyfe vnto the middle lyne Are black with blaberlips and haire both curlde and crisped fyne And naked cleane or couerde else with skynne of Kiddes full yll But such as dwell about the North where Golde is quaking styll In whytenesse seeme to passe the snow and scarce they can expell Wyth garments long many clothes the clode that there doth dwell Betweene these people all that be wyth black and whyte are died But more and lesse as farre and nere they from the Sunne abyde Whyle thus I fondly wondred at the things that there I see Why doest y e quoth my guide regarde the things that vaynest be why viewest thou thus the colours vaine in fleshe of mortall man Farre better shall it be for thee theyr manners well to scan And diuers fashyons of theyr mindes and works of them to see wherby thou shalt beholde the lyfe of man I shewing thee And what confusyon is therein Fyrst fayne thou here a hande ☞ whose thombe directly vpwarde ryse and fingers open stande And on the thombe place thou the men of best disposed minde That worldly things doe here despyse and things of heauenly hinde Doe onely seeke and most esteeme dame wysedomes sacred grace Delyghting nature to beholde and hye Celestyall place Unharmefull gentle louing best the vertuous things and right Whom neither riches can corrupt nor fleshely fonde delight Nor glasse of pompous state alure men of a heauenly kinde And Gods incarnate here on earth but rare and scant to finde For all such things that perfect are are scarse and selde to see O that the mighty Lorde would cause thee such a one to bee Next standes to thys the forefinger whereto thou shalt assyne Discretest men the seconde sort and good we them defyne Yet leane they some thing to the world as fyt to beare the sway In cities and in common wealthes and banners to display And fayth and iustice eke they loue and vertuous seeke to be Yet from the pleasures of the worlde they are not fully free To whom if God at any time the rule and empire giue Then comes the golden tymes againe and vertue here to liue And iustice to the earth returnes and peace doth beare the sway And vice with punnishement seuere is forced for to stay The middle finger followes then of estimation small Whereon thou must apoint a place vnto those Minions all Whose mindes are ready to conceiue and wittes for to inuent Whose tongs doe flowe with eloqueÌ„ce to vtter theyr intent But wycked and vniust they are and full of vyllanyes And bending alwayes to the earth doe not beholde the skyes A suttle sort that foxes heartes within theyr guilfull brest Doe alwayes beare and symple soules with fraude doe styll molest And when as most they vertue hate yet lyst they for to seeme Both good and Godly men and such as vertue most esteeme And other wise than they do meane theyr tong doth talke alwayes And all they doe is done for gaine or else for hope of prayse Nor lyfe but thys they none esteeme nor looke for to enioy And these are they that euermore doe wise men most anoy And armde w t fraude on fauour staide which eyther they obtaine Wyth slauishe seruice done to them or else with giftes doe gaine The Godly purposes they let and truth with craft they hyde And if their cunning there doe fayle then force in tyme is tryde Then vse they swords or flames of fyre or strength of poyson trye And if they cannot closely hurt then worke they openly With these such iolye seruitours in euery time and place The Dieul doth hys Kingdome kepe and eke hys owne good grace This staffe he chiefly leaneth on wyth this great helpe and stay He conquest makes vpon the earth and brings them to obay More crafty Knaues than wisemeÌ„ liue and stronger aye they be That wyn the Palme and triumph stil wyth spoyle of honesty Which when they scepter hold in hand or rule in cyties beare Then coÌ„mes the yron world agayne and Mars approcheth neare Then fury conquers lawes and right then lawful is it found For vice to lyue vnpunnished then vertue lies a grouÌ„d No men more mischieuous than these among the mortal state Do liue nor none there are that more the Gods aboue do hate Now next in place the Fooles do syt who presently must stand Upon the fynger fourth in place of this thy fayned hand Of Fooles the
state of destiny commaundeth to be had God Pluto then tell me quoth I why syâ—ste thou here so sad So sad quoth he doest thou not thinke to great a wrong I byde When you possesse so great a space of heauen large and wyde When as but fewe you are and when scarce three when all is done Or little more in greatest space and tract of tyme do come And I to be enclosde within a kingdome here so small Where out of number mortal men continually do fall The Jewes and al the Turkish broode not all the Christian bend I graunt but sure the greatest parte do here do here descend And hither to my parkes they runne why come they more to me Or why doth not my brother there that Skies doth ouersee These Friers Priests Monks at lest take vp to heauen hye And them in blessed place wyth him preserue continually Is is not shame these men that in the Church so swetely sing And day by day in sacred towers the restlesse bells do ring That spend such store of Franconcense and many Hores relieue That pardon others and can not their owne mysdeedes forgiue That play the parts of paryshe Clerke the Corse to bring to graue And beautify the Church of God with Tombs and Pictures braue Is it not shame these men to sende to Hell with paynes therfore As thirsty Appulia neuer bred of Flyes a greater store Nor once the chiefest Bishops he doth dread or more forbeare But rather wylls that they do feele extreamest torments heere Thus in the deepest pyt of Hel enclosde they lye in chaynes And plaged are aboue the rest with grieuous kinde of paynes Wherfore Cyllenius when thou comste the Starres aboue vnto I pray thee shew my brother there that al things I wyl do With willing minde as he coÌ„maundes But yet in any wise Let him respect my poore estate and kingdome not despise And either take some soules from hence or else make Hel more wyde This sayd I wyll quoth I and then from thence in haste I hied And now to Heauen I retourne nor longer can I stay Forget not me thy client poore go blessed sainct away Thou Muse remembre well to thewe to me thy verses fine For paper lowe at hand and pen and leysure good and tyme Beginne and teache me in what sorte a wyse man should be wrought Fyrst vnderneath a happy starre he must to light be brought That after shall be wyse or blest for greatly matter makes Under what signe or what aspect a man his byrthday takes As they affirme that know the names and force and motions hye Of Starres and cast natiuities and tell the destiny O Lord how great and wonderous doth heauens force appeare Wythout whose help the earth nor seas could euer creature beare The Skye the Occean representes the father here of all And stars the syster Nimphs by name full aptly may we call FroÌ„ whence procedes al good on earth therfore can no man liue As wise and blest whoÌ„ starres in byrth an yll aspect do giue Beside of great effect doth seeme their parents state and kinde Of whome the infant nourced is and who doth guide the minde For as the childe in tender yeares himself at fyrst doth trayne Such custome shal in graâ—er age within his heart remayne Long time that nature doth endure and long in minde doth lye That in our childish age at fyrst our senses did apply Therefore the master needes must be both wyse and learned well That guides the childe and also must to vertue him compell And like the horsman good now here now there must winde and wreste The vntamed head and now with byâ—â—e and now wyth spurre molest Nor only him with words persuade but with examples teache For what if life be contrary auayleth it to preach And fyrst be dilligent to kepe him from the vicious kinde Ill company doth oft corrupt a good and vertuous minde This poyson many hath destroyed wouldst thâ—n be glad to tell The nature iust of any man then marke his fellowes well For lyke to lyke doe euer goe and alwayes shalt thou finde That conuâ—rsant are such as be of one disposed minde Wherfore let both the schoolemaster and parents well beware Least him whom they doe thus instruct the naughty youth doe sâ—are And them with filthy crimes infect alas full sone we all Enclyned are vnto the worse and sone to vice we fall Besydes thys childe that here we â—ayne a wyse man for to make Let him in Greeke and latine bookes his daily trauaile take And giue good wyll and diligence in learning to procede Refusyng al vnhonest bookes let hym good auâ—thors reade For sâ—ldome is the vnlearned good for ignorance doth blinde And darkes with errours commonly the rude vnskilful minde But yet from to much study and toyle let him hys minde refraine Least he proue mad in searching thus thys wysedome to attaine Or fall into some great disease and so himselfe destroy To much of euery thing doth harme and long doth not enioye His sprites sometime to recreate and to refreshe his minde Let him absent him selfe and playe for rest in euery kinde Doth quicknesse bring and play in time doth former force repatre But though eche kindes of learning is both nedefull good and faire Yet chiefe among the rest are those and hyghest place obtaine That teacheth well y e Starres to know and nature opens plaine Let these our wyse men well apply with all hys force and might In grauer age and in these artes let him spende hys delight And therwithall as hath bene sayde the nurture of the minde Well put in vre both iust and good shal be and so shall winde About hys head two Lawrell twistes How goodly a thing is it A man both learned and good to bee to knowe and to haue wit A learned foole is to be fearde lyke as the â—urious braine With sworde in hande so is the learnde in whom doth vice remaine But yet suffyseth not alone the minde for to regarde And wyth good manners good artes to haue it thus preparde When as the state of body here we must not lightly way For if the body be diseased it neuer can obay The hesâ—es of minde y u doth commaund both worthy things and great Wherfore we must our selues apply to feede on holesome meate That may engender purest bloud for hurtfull humour springs Of ouâ—ll meates most commonly and such vnholsome things All dronkennesse must be eschewed and surfets must be fled For these the stomacke ouercharge and much anoye the head And rounde wyth fumes beset the brain by thys doth alwayes come The dull appalled sense and sprytâ— and sleepes of afternoone To exercise the body well in due conuenient time Is great commodity to health and makes the force more fyne By to much sâ—outh doth strength deâ—ay and by to long a rest The synowes faynt and all the lymmes by thys are quite opprest Besyde must colde extreme be shunde
depart and shunne the common sort Contenting hym with fellowes fewe and wyth a slender port And solitary oftentimes to God both night and daye The mind wel purgde of naughty thou ghtes in feruent sprite to praye And wholly to addict himselfe the heauenly state to finde And all the cares that fleshe doth giue to banishe from his minde Then shall the Gods appere though he in valley lowe doe lye Or on the hylles or shadowy woodes or on the mountaines hye In cottage small do place himselfe it is not safe nor well With many for to liue or in the townes of fooles to dwell And in the company of theeues of slaues and couetous And cuthrote brawling swering mates or men ambitious But let the wyseman flye the croude of rude and common sort For of the common people is enuied the wysemans port Bycause of their contrary deedes contraries euermore Do one the other striue agaynst and let and hinder sore Here of haue many wisemen dyed bycause they would not spare When any naughty thing they saw the truth for to declare And to rebuke the mindes of Fooles which sith it could not beare Nor suffer such abuse of Fooles they slayne and punnisht were Wherefore least that the wiseman see such store of synful syght And least he fall in daunger by defending truth and right Let him wythdraw himselfe forthwith from common company And secret liue with two or three that good and learned be Though seldome shal he be without the Gods that guide the sky For Gods do often pleasure take in wisemens company Oft doth the wiseman heare them speak and seeth them oft with eyes They fil his heart with comfort greate in wondrous sorte and wise The wiseman blessed is on earth and blest aboue in Skies Go then O blinded mortal men go heape vp money than And fyll your caskets full of Golde by al the meanes you can Beset with rings your fyngers thick and let the Jewels round In gorgeous linekes of golde about your gracelesse neckes be wound Now ruffie in your sylkes abrode and brag it through the streete Go go I say you blinded fooles both Crownes and Scepter sweete And al that Fortune rash can giue to you with al your power Go seke yet all these goodly things shal vanish in an houre Al these things are but dreames toyes and haue but little stay Which quickly chaunce doth from you take or death doth snatch away Which sone doe vanish hēce like smoke and neuer turne agayne Go go O wretches seke to get these mystes and shaddowes vayne But when the dying day shal come and latest houre shal fall Then then when all your follies past in vayne to minde you call You shall perceyue that you did dote and stept from truth awry And mourne to late Alas in tyme your errour learne to spy O mischieuous vntoward soules O heartes of canckred kinde Why gaze you styll vpon he earth like beastes of brutish minde Why cast you not your eyes aloft vnto the starry Skies There there y e truest world doth stande there life most perfect lies For such as feare aad worship God there neyther chaunce hath place Nor churlish death can there the state wyth deadly darte deface There is the assured treasure found there lies the chiefe delight That God almighty hath preparde for them that serue him right Which neuer curse of fretting time hath power to ouerthrowe To this apply your mindes while states permit and life below Beholde you not of fading life the slender holde and stay Do not you see how all things here in shortest time decay And lyke to smoke in subtile ayre doth vanish quite away Where finde you now the stately kings in pomp of proud aray That heretofore haue bene or where do you esteme to be The Prelates chief that thought thēselues Gods fellowes in degree Their rotten bones entombed close in fylthy caues do dwell And for their soules perhaps they do kepe Christmasse now in Hell Farre banishde from the happy place wherto the good are brought And there they suffer payne for pryde and mischiefe that they wrought O Lord how gladly would they nowe if in their power it lay Enclose themselues in flesh agayne and take their olde aray That not esteming riches here and kingdomes leauing cleane They might liue Godly here on earth in pore estate and meane And by their righteous lyfe make hym their frende that guides the Skie And after death possesse a place aboue the heauens hie But he that shewes his wit to late his wisdome shewes in vayne Let euery man seeke God to please and worldly wealth disdayne And trauayle for the heauenly state of him example take Which of this worldly fading ioyes a small accompt doth make But only hopes in time to come the perfect ioyes to feale Which wel he knowes for God to hym such things doth oft reueale And such a wiseman late there liued since I remember may That with a fewe vpon the top of hye Soractis lay Full leane he was and bearded wel his house was smal and neate All clad he was in russet robes a man of learning great And comely countnance to be holde he had his dwelling place In wildernesse where round about the woods did him embrace Whose heauenly mind when as he lyst of things to come could tel And aunswers gaue such as for truth did Delphis not excel I moued and prouoked thus with fame that of him ran By paynfull iourneys long vnto this sacred hill I came And foūd the olde man sitting there in warme and Sunny caue Who after that I had receiude the like God Deane I gaue He wyllde me there to take my rest so downe by him I syt And therewithall I askde him thus what is the cause of it Quoth I that here you choose to lyue vpon this mountaine steepe Where almost euery thing doth lack that life of man should kepe Then aunswering me this holy man on this sorte there began My great delight was heretofore to liue in cities whan Both yong and ignoraunt I thought nought else to be requirde But riches here and such delight as life of man desirde Following y e example and the fault of rude and common sort Then ioyed I for to leade my life wyth great and much resort And with the rest for company I fell into the floud Of vayne delightes with colour false deceyude of trouth and good But when that greater age began wyth fading yeares to show And wisedome more in tract of time within my head to growe I then began to note and marke the partes that men do play And sundry sorte of liues they leade as God gaue grace to way Then many fylthy things I sawe there done and ful of shame And nothing else of iustice left but vayne and ydle name Th'vngilty to be punnished the gylty scaping free The vertue hydde in vice and vice in vertue hid to be The poore in euery place opprest and fauour
more to get Than iust deserts y e law a brybing craft for golde a fyshing nette Eche kinde of handy craft corrupt by guile of workmens wyll The theefe to fee the Inkeper his gests thereby to kyll Besydes I many might beholde enricht by theft and guyle Though naughty beastes more meeter far to weare a rope a whyle Yet praysde to be and worshipped and feared very much The vnworthy placde in regal seate and honours dealt to such As haue but only shape of men Besyde religion fled By conetousnesse and Priests bent al to foode and Harlots bed And vnder cloke of holinesse seke priuily to gayne And pick the common peoples purse by meanes of wyly trayne While as they open heauen wyde and barre the hellish way And while they bost that they can soules where as they list conuay And wyth their Portas force the saincts to do as they are bent By this occasion left I al and from the townes I wene Accoumpting it more safe for me to liue in desert place And in this hyll to runne the rest of al my ranging race This hil whereas the altare stands of Syluester the saint Where as the Shrine and monuments of him his prayses paynt Which place though it seme rough and rude not meere to dwel vpon Yet fitte it is for saincts and such as liue in peace alone And wholly do apply their mindes the Lord to feare and loue And alwayes seeke to ioyne themselues with saincts in Skies aboue But hard perchaunce it seemes to thee and straunge it doth appere That I can liue in desert such and stony places here Where seldome any man doth come where wanting seemes to be Most things that should sustaine the life of man at libertie Yet is it not so hard in deede nor straunge it seemeth than If that the holy Ghost enspire the heart of any man Descending downe from heauens hye of God the sacred sprighte That purifies the heart from sinne and rayseth soules to light That ouerwhelmde in flesh do lye as Mercury sublimde By force of fyer is and takes a colour white ful finde This holy sprite adournes the minde and heart doth vpward moue This cutts away the worldly cares and breadeth heauenly loue Wherwith the minde inflamed once all things doth easye seeme Though neuer so sore for he that loues doth labour light esteeme Especially if any hope there be rewarde to holde For hope loue are two stroÌ„g pricks that makes vs alway bolde And not to care for any toyle wherfore continually Our daily prayers must wee make to hym that guides the skye That so thys holy sprite vouchsafe into our heartes to fall That he may plant a Godly hope and Godly loue withall Wherwith y e minde inspirde may mouÌ„t aboue the starry skye Despising much the world and ioyes that vaine doe please the eye And striue to ioyne it selfe to God with all the force and might No maruell then it is all if ayded of this sprite I here can dwell and leade a lyfe full harde so paciently Upon this stiepe and desert rocke and stony mountaine hye Yet neuer lackt I meate nor clothes vpon this loftye spyre As much as nature doth content not wanton fonde desyre A little thing doth nature serue a small thing doth content Such one as loues none ouerplus a man to vertue bent That rather seekes celestiall lyfe than fleshly fading dayes For lyfe least thou be ignorant is double in hir wayes One wherwithall the bodye lyues still followed and pursude Is thys of all the route of fooles and common people rude The people fonde that nothing knowe of any worthinesse But stouthful beasts do make their God of filthy fonde excesse This lyfe is proper vnto beastes of wilde and sauage kinde The other vnto God aboue and men of godly minde That for their great and worthy deedes doe well deserue the name Of perfect men and holly sainctes of euerlasting fame But such hye minded vertuous Impes the earth doth seldome broode The earth a mother to the naught and stepdame to the good Agui se falta vn Renglon por ligereza But now bicause I see thee bent to giue attentâ—uâ— eare Some things of this celestiall lyfe I will declare thee here Which ought well vnderstoode to please the minde of any wight Fyrst man consystes not only of fleshe but also of the spright This giueth lyfe to them that line by this we feele and moue This giues vs mind y e worthyest thing by which men wondrous proue But many doubt if that the soule doe liue the body dead Or whether it doe finishe â—o when as the lyfe is stedde Assaredly the worser sort that to the fleshe doe cleaue And bent to vice despising God doe wishe and eke beleue The soule to haue a dying day â—icause alas they feare The cruell forments for the sinnes that they committed here And therefore will alowe no hell nor Diuels for to be And so they doe persuade themselues to scape with mischiefe free An other better sort of men that synfull lyfe doe hate Prouoked with the Godly loue of vertues goodly â—iate Doe thinke the soule doth alwayes lyue and not to dye with graue Bicause they hope a glorious Crowne for their good workes to haue And make accompt of perfect blisse when death hath shot hys dart And of a better promisde lyfe for to enioy their part Of these two sortes who iudgeth best â–ª who is but the iust For euermore in doubtfull things the opinion must we trust That pleaseth best the better sort and that which follow most Such men as vertuous be and such as haue the holy Ghost More safe it is to cleaue vnto the vertuous and the iust Than fansyes of the wycked men to credite or to trust Ne must we note their number great that any thing haue sayde But in what sort they leade theyr lyfe must well of vs â—e wayde Wherefore it better is with fewe of vertuous sort to say That soules doe lyue continually and haue no dying day Than with a number of the lewde against it to replye Contending that there are no spriâ—â—s and that the soule doth dye But more bâ—cause thou shalt beleue I will declare to thee By reason good the state of soule immortall for to bee For if that God in better things doth cunning still expresse As wysedome telles and as the good and vertuous must confesse Then doubtlesse must we iudge he gauâ— the soules no time to dye Since better farre it is for them to liue continuallye Than with the fleshe to be extinct and feele a full decaye Which thus I proue if death doe take from vs the soule away If that we haue no other lyfe but in thys body here Then God may be accounted ill and shall vniust appere For thousandes euery day we seâ— that florishe prosproustye In richesse substance and renoume in raignes and Empyres hye Yet ydle lubbers vnlearnde naughâ— that synne at liberâ—ye And runne
tempred them in such a sort that harme in them should cease And that the things contrary thus should styll remaine in peace So lastes the skye continually and neuer doth decay But for bicause the harder things last longer farre away And take lesse hurt therefore the skye of all the hardest seemes More than the Diamonde that forme and fyre it light estemes And euery force saue onely Gods of whom it fyrst toke grounde An other reason proues thys same for fyrst that moueth rounde The Spheres beneath him turns about and West ward them doth driue And rolles them dayly mouing round though they contrary striue Which could not be if that they were not hard assuredly Lake there withal that parte of Moone the likest is to skye Which Sun doth not behold nor tuchd wyth beames of brothers eyes So Starres at noone are thought to be in colour like to Skyes Which Moone Starres thē selues be harde and dark they also be The experience of the Eclipse doth this declare apparantly For Moone betwixt doth hide y e beames that from the Sunne do flowe And suffers not the shining light vpon the earth to showe Why shuld not this same hardnes here vnto the Skies agree For neuer should it else holde fast the Starres that fixed be But wander farre abroade they would nor one place them should holde Yet darke is not the firmament as of the Starres we tolde For placed here vpon the earth the hyest Starres we see And well our sight descernes the signes that farthest from vs be Syth hardest are celestiall shapes and purest eke are such Perchaunce they gyue a sound besides and syth they rolle and touch They make some he auenly melody as some that long agoe Both learnde and sobre written haue my Muse this doubt vndoe Though hard and many be the kindes of Heauenly bodies hie And though they subiect are to syght of earthly humaine eye Yet noyse for troth they none do make for nothing them doth beate Nor beaten would they more resound that are most thicke and greate And syth no ayre is there wythout the which no sound is made And therefore voyd of noyse runne they round in rolling trade Besyde the inferiour Circles eyght gaynward the mornings seate Are turnde about one selfe same way nor on themselues they beate Wyth meeting course but passe one way wyth easy rolling round As daunce in order compassing about do softely driue The Mouer first agaynst them all in course doth onely striue Yet noyse doth it neuer make ne soundeth it at all For aire there lackes and outward partes of Spheares are smoth alway Whereby they swiftly passe about no roughnesse them doth stay And easly thus with gentle touch their neyghbours next are kyst Wherfore there motion they do make all silently and whyst Therefore the Fathers olde did erle that earnestly beleued Spheares mouing to make Harmony but not to be perceiued Bycause it passde the eares of man as is not heard at all The rush of Nilus streames where from the mountaynes they doe fall But farther of the sound doth roare They trifle thus to teach And fond and vayne the reason is that herein they do preach For if such things were neuer heard why should they then deuise A sound amyd the Skies to be t is naught to enterprise Of things to talke that neuer can be shewde or proued playne That iustly may denied be no newe things must we fayne Except a troth in them be proued where reason is away No fayth nor credit must we giue to wordes that men do say But is the Heauen round my Muse as fame of olde hath spyde For compassed forme see mes perfecter than all the rest besyde Bycause it hath beginning none nor ende in it doth lye Bycause it aye contayneth moste more fine and fayre to th' eye And apter is it to be moued chiefly the myddest about As Heauen turnd about the earth that hath hir standing stout In mydst of all the worlde This forme so worthy doth agree To Heauen to the Sunne and Moone and all the Starres we see Though folly fonde of Paynters doth them other wyse desc◠ye But are the Starres as some do say the thicker parte of Skye Not so for euery one of them vnlike to Heauen be Among themselues they differ eke as Elme from Seruise tree As Peare from Cherry differeth in fashion and in fruite Their diuers vertue this declares and eke their sundry suite A power alone hath euery Starre and nature eke at hand The Heauen therefore is but seate and place where Starres do stand No substance thoe or matter of them What vertue hath the Skye All force and vertues in the Starres and glistering planets lye The starres do guide the cōpassd world and euery chaunge doth bring The Starres create all things on earth and gouerne euery thing Thus teach th'Astronomers and thus the common fame doth flye Ne must we think in thicke and thinne the substance of the Skye To differ from the Starres but eke their natures diuers be And sundry is their shape and force and fashion that we see The bygnesse of the Starres and if their turning neuer stay And in what place they fixed be as Plato once did say And if they voyd of dwellers be or any there doth dwell My Muse I would be glad to knowe wherefore I pray thee tell All starres are not of bygnesse like for many lesse there be And in such sort as comprehend no man may them we see Some are agayne of larger syse in number fewe and fyne That in cleare nightes amyd the skyes wyth gorgeous light do shine Of which th'Astronomers haue framde fayre shapes and fygures bright And pictured haue the Heauens braue with sygnes of sundry sight Thus of these greater sorte of Starres as learnd in Starres doe tel And as the Sunnes eclipse doth shewe wherein appeareth well How great the Moone in body is while vnder him she glydes And darkning all with shadowes black hir brothers beames she hydes Some do in compasse farre excede both seas and earth and all And bygger are their shining globes though they do seeme so small Bycause so farre from vs they be For euery thing besyde The farther it is from our eyes the lesse in syght is spyed And doth deceiue the lookers on The starres that fixed be As Plato greatest clarke doth say are eche in their degree About their Centers rolled round and turnde continually And by this reason are they thought to twinckle in the eye And not as certayne fayned haue bycause farre of they be Therefore they yelde a trembling light to such as them do see This reason surely is but vayne and childishe for to write For nothing seemes to twinckle tho bycause t is farre from syght But dimmer then and lesse it seemes nor twinckling can they be Without a motion sure Wherefore the Starres that fixt we see Do moue togither with the Sunne as we declared late But Saturne Iupiter and Mars
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
his deadly darte in pale and dreadfull handes How suddainely he strikes therewith how oft he doth destroy The lusty youth and takes away our fayre and flowring ioye O fading lyfe that subiect art to thousande casualtyes O to to shorte and doubtfull state that smoke lyke from vs flyes Now this now that man drops away and thou this present day To morrowe I thus at the last we all doe passe away None otherwise than simple shéepe that Butcher hath preparde In folde to kill now these now those with knife he striketh harde To morrowe other the next day moe thus all in time they dye Tyll that by this his slaughters great the folde doth emptye lye This fading lyfe therfore despise which first beginning takes with teares his middest is toyle griefe and death conclusion makes Who wyll delyght in such a lyfe except a foolishe braine Seeke you an other lyfe to haue an other lyfe to gaine Whereas no mourning griefe or paine whereas no death is founde Thus happy state you shall receaue when carcasse comes to grounde You that haue hated sinne and God haue worshipped holylie And haue not put your confidence in things that worldly be But chast vnhurtful milde and true haue liude in pure degree But some perchance y t think how gods doe dwell in Heauens clere wold also learne some wayes or meanes if any such there were By which they might w t them haue talk and see them face to face O what a goodly thing were this and what a wondrous grace Than which no greater thing on earth I think can man obtaine But fewe deserue so great a state and honor for to gaine For many I graunt with diuels talke which easely they entice By humble prayers made to them or meanes of sacrifice Since farre they be not from the earth but in the ayre doe lye And oftentimes beholde and kéepe the people companie Yea vnto many they appere and serue them willingly And with the beautie great of youth enamoured oft they be But Gods that in the heauen dwell the things that mortall be Disdaine to knowe and wicked factes of men abhorre to sée As they that well doe vnderstande how foolishe and how vile Mans nature is how false and bolde and eke how full of guile Despiser and blasphemer of the chiefest maiestie Wherefore to haue the speache of them and see them presentlie Is labour great and seldome had bicause their eares they close To voice of men and turne away their eyes from giftes of those Which after that they be enrichde with séedes that others sowe A portion small of others goodes vpon the Church bestowe Thinking that Heauen may be solde O two legged Asses blinde Thinke you that God is couetous and precious stones doth minde Or hath delight in glittering golde or needes your helpe to haue Doe you suppose that he is such as doth your fauour craue Think you that brybes can him corrupt as many men they doe No sure he is not got with golde nor giftes he looketh to When that he liues in happyest state and blessed on euery syde When his are all that earth contaynes or seas or heauens wyde How can you giue to God the things that his alreadye be Doth not he rather giue to you the things that here you sée Therfore since neither they with giftes nor vowes will moued be A matter very harde it is them presently to see Although the matter be so harde yet wyll we passe the way And what our force in this can doe by proofe we will assaye First needes we must the meanes finde out that God doth best content Who is not moude with noble bloud nor vnto riches bent No king nor Ceysar he respectts nor triumphes doth esteme Ne careth he for such as are most strong and fayrest seeme But these doth vtterly despise nor for the loue of them â—ouchsafes the prayers to beholde or present sight of men Thus must we seeke an other way by which we may obtaine Their speache and presence for to haue perchaunce my verses plaine This way meanes shall bring to light if that the Gods aboue So fayre attempts doe ayde and helpe and wyth their sprite approue The first thing is the clenlinesse of body and of minde By which man well esteemde of God doth loue and fauour finde For all vncleanesse doth he hate and doth abhorre to see So fayre and blessed is his state and of so hye degree Wherfore we must at first take heede that we be perfectly Well purged and pure from filthinee and all iniquitie Unclothed of our garments blacke and clad in comely whites Which colour best with God agrees and black with fiendishe sprites A harde thing is this same I graunt for who doth here remaine That leades his life without a fault and free from blot or staine To euery man hath nature delt some crime or vicious kinde And nothing is on earth so faire but fault therin we finde Yet are there certaine sinnes so small and to such trifling ende That in a manner nought at all the eyes of God offende Wherwith he is not greued much no sores are these nor staynes But as the little freckels that in body fayre remaines Which easely the Lorde forgiues since well perceâ—ueth â—ée How weake and frayle the nature is of such as mortall bee But great haynous crymes doe much offende the mighty state And wicked men he alwayes doth abhorre despyse and hate Nor wyll he once their prayers heare except they clense before And washe away their sinnes w t â—eares and whyte for black restore Requiring pardon for their faults with voice of mourning minde Obtaining once againe the pathes of vertue for to finde And casting of hys canckred skinne as in the pleasant spring The Serpent vseth all his skinne of olde away to â—â—ing who thus renewed departes leaues his slough in stones behinde And casting vp his head aloâ—t with proude and stately minde His breadfull hyssing doubleth oft with tong of triple kinde Thus Gods are pleased thus wheÌ„ as we rightly on them call They shewe themselues and thus to vs theyr prophecies let fall Yet must there one thing more be had vnto this perfect whight A Crymsin colour must be ioynde the beautie then is bright When as a purple redde with white well entermedled lyes What meanes this ruddy colour here sure loue it signifies For loue resembled is to fire which fyre hath reddishe flame And both a colour and an heate procéedeth from the same Therefore it néedefull is beside that we the Gods aboue Doe hartely loue for he that loues deserueth to haue loue For whosoeuer loues the Gods and liueth Christianly Can not be odious vnto them but shall rewarded bee And shall in happy state obtaine whatsoeuer he doth require But who is he that loues the Lorde the man that doth desire In filthy entisements of the fleshe and pleasures for to sleepe Or he that hath a great delight
the rauening hauke to keepe And madde in feeding dogges horse hys liuing doth decaye Or he that seekes for hye estate that quickly fades awaye An Owle that in the roufe doth fit a mate of Fortunes playe Or is it hee that vpon God hath heart and fansie set And which he worships as a God by all meanes seekes to get Beleue mee they that earthly things doe couet to obtaine The things that in the heauens are regarde not for to gaine No man can well two maisters serue for who so ioyes in white It followe must that he detestes the black and grisley sight Who so delightes in light of Sunne him darknesse heauie makes And he that sweetenesse loues in bitter things no pleasure takes Who so approcheth to the earth must needes the heauens flye And where as loue of earth remaines no man can loue the skye But fewe alas and all to fewe these earthly things despise And able are with wings of minde to mount vnto the skyes Wherfore bicause it is so harde to this doe I agree But great rewardes makes greatest paynes both easie and light to be what greater thing can be obtaynde than here with Gods to walke And to beholde them with our eyes and thus with them to talke This is chiefest Jewell sure for which we ought to beare Eache kinde of trauaile toile and griefe with good and pleasant cheare The Cat would gladly milke receiue but feete she wyll not wet The way to vertue sure is harde yet shall th'vnslouthfull get Both vertue and honour vertues price the souldiour good obâ—aynes A due rewarde whereas no prayse the slouthfull cowarde gaynes Therefore we must apply our selues with all our force and might That these so glorious states aboue in vs may haue delight Then euery thing we shal be sure here prosperously to haue Both whilst we liue vpon the earth and when we are layde in graue why doe we thus estéeme the earth that sone we shall forsake O blinded fooles of fading ioyes we more account doe make Than of the goods that alwayes lastes what madnesse is this same Nowe last remaynes that prayers oâ—â— with humble minde he frame That séekes the sight of Gods to haue which once for to require Suffiseth not but oftentimes we must and much desire Tyll at the length in space of time we get the victorie And as our minde desireth most obtayne the Gods to see One stroke doth not cut downe y e Oke of olde and auncient yeares Nor yet the stone by falling of one drop of water weares Nor Rome was builded in a day eche creature grayne and tree In time spring vp and in great space of yeares encreased bee And thinkst thou such a woÌ„drons thing and of estate so hie Can with so little paynes be done and wrought immediatly So easly can we nâ—t the sight of earthly Kings obtayne Nor come to tell our tales to them and heare them talke agayne Thinkst thou that Gods 〈◊〉 better are than Kings that here we see Wherfore then should they come except they oft desired bee Except we them as we doe Lordes in humble sort desire Wherfore we must on euery daye them oftentimes require That they vouchsafe themselues sometime to shewe to vs in sight And with their talke the secrete things to bring abrode to lyght This if we doe beleue mee well at length they will appere And with their presence will vs blesse in wretched carcasse here And shortly bring vs to the skyes an ende of all our strife whereas the perfectest pleasure is and eke the happyest lyfe Then shall we passe and come before the maker great of skyes And haue the Prince of all the worlde in viewe of these our eyes Than which no better state can be nor more renouned thing who is of goodnesse and bewtye all the fountaine hedde and spring But many think it can not be that vnto any here On earth the sacred sprites aboue should talke or thus appere And think that I but trifles tell to these I pardone gyue For nature hath not delt lyke wyt to all that here doe liue Some still doe ponder in their minde the Heauenly ioyes aboue And alwayes think of hauty things some meane things only loue And haue no pleasure much to rayse themselues from earthly place And thousandes on the grounde doe lye nor thence wyll ryse an ase But earthly ioy doe only minde sure in none other wise Than certayne byrdes that in the ayre aloâ—t most hylye flye Where many keepe the midst thereof and mount not very hye The reast frequent the lowest partes and nere the earth doe flye Wherfore it is no wonder great if what I here declare The common people not beleue whose mindes most brutishe are Yet true it is that I haue tolde for how should any one Liue on the mountaines colde dwell in wildernesse alone And willing leade so harde a lyfe sure perishe should he staight Except some God him comforting should ease him of this waight Beleue me he that liues alone auoiding companye Is eyther mad or more than man doth talke with Gods on hye In this sort liued the Prophets olde as it apperes by fame And many after Christ whom men did holy Fathers name And in this present age of ours full many may we finde That leade their life speÌ„d their yeares in this same sort and kinde These men when they do wisely speake and reason fayre and well And wonders great doe bring to passe and things to come foretell Wilt thou esteeme as mad or fonde or to be wayed lyght Or rather wilt thou iudge they be inspirde with holy sprite Bestdes the holy Church affyrmes that earst haue many béene That sacred shapes of blessed ghostes full oftentimes haue seene Why should not I beleue sith that the Church doth tell it mee Therfore it is no fable fonde but doth wyth truth agree That men may come to speake w t God and them in presence see Which I suppose the chiefest good and finall ende to be Of all good things that vnto maâ— may any wayes aryse While as of thys hys present lyfe the troublous seas he tryes And when escaped from mortall chaine the soule hath passage straight Conueying with hir selfe these three that alwayes on hir wayte The minde the sense and mouing force vnto the heauens hye Shall ioyfull go and there remaine in blisse perpetuallye And dwelling there with Gods a God shall it created be O Heauen great O house of Gods of fayrest dignitie How pure arte thou how wonderfull with Maiestie deuine How garnishte rounde about w t starres dost thou most brightly shine Thou palayce well replenished with euery sweete delight For if the earth habounds with things so fayre and good to sight The earth a place for man and beastes the vylest part of all what shold we think of thee wher dwels the Gods celestiall The Lordes and happy kings of all O would to God that when My dolefull threeds the Systers three had fully finisht then It thyther were my hap to come my Carcasse cast in graue And euermore such wondrous ioyes before my eyes to haue And now by grace of God I haue of Zodtake finisht here Twelue starry sâ—gnes which nuÌ„ber doth in these my bookes appere A labour great with study long and tedious trauaile pende Yet finisht now and closed vp with last and finall ende What thanks shall I thee gyue O Lord and Prince of euery lande That hast me willde so fayre and great attemptê to take in hande And giuen me mind and might therto the prayse is onely thine If any fayre or goodly thing in these my bookes doth shine For euery fayre and goodly thing from thee doth first descend Thou wert the fyrst beginning of this worke and finall ende My minde and hand were gouernde by thy Maiestie deuine To thee I onely giue the thanks the honour all is thine But yet if any due desert on these my paynes attende I thee beseeche O Lorde that when my lyfe is at an ende This life that night by night I spend in dreames of vanitie And when the day retornes still vext with griefe and myserie Thou wylt vouchsafe in wyping out my sinnes to pardone mée Whatsoeuer I haue done alasse with mist of minde opprest And suffer thys my soule with thée in Heauens hye to rest And thou my booke in this meane while thorow â–ª andry cities run Assured vnder cankred clawes of enuie great to come For Carpers and Correctors thou shalt finde in euery place Whose mouthes with téeth enuenomed shall tearing thée deface Nor some shall surelywatin ng be which when they nothing can Doe worthy prayse wyll yet reioyce to rayle at euery man And finding fault at others works will purchase foolyshe fame Shunne y u such enuiâ—us whelps as these and mouthes that thus defame And searche for good and learned men which though but fewe they bée Yet happy mayst thou dwell with few for fewe of best degrée Hath God created here on earth to such go reuerently And all that we haue done laye thou before the vertuous eye which if they lyke it doth suffise and what the rest doth saye Regarde not thou but clownishe words with laughter passe awaye The iudgement of the common sorte is grosse and eke their minde Is wondrous weake and foolishe things delights the foolishe kinde All men the meate doe most desire that them doth best delight Eache pleasure is not acceptable to euery kinde of sprite But good and learned men the things of good and godly sense Giue eare vnto and reade and marke the same with diligence This is the foode that them doth féede and comfort of their minde And if foreshâ—wing doe not lye vnto this vertuous kinde Thou shalt be heartyly welcomed and with a smiling looke Of them thou shalt perused bée Go therfore blessed booke Abyde along and happy tyme and when the ghastly graue Encompast rounde about with earth my carcasse colde shall haue Through euery countrey thou aliue and realmes of sundry fame Go passe and séeke in euery place to blase abrode my name FINIS Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Denham for Rafe Newberye dwelling in Fleete streate
the race of all their life in great prosperitye On the other syde we may beholde the iust opprest to be With spitefull chaunce a wretched lyfe and pyâ—ious prouertye Thus eyther God vnrighteous is that doth these things permit Or after death hath euery man as he deserueth it Or else he doth disoaine the deedes of mortall men to knowe Besides what gratious mind apperes in God what goodnesse doth he showe â–ª If this be all that he doth giue a lyfe so short and vaine That swyftly runneth to an ende and doth no time remaine The halfe wher of is spent in sleepe the rest in griefe and â—oyle And daungers great as fast doth fleete as riuers swyft in soyle Therfore go to O wretched men builde Gorgeous Churches hye And let with costly offrings great your altars pestred lye Set vp your ioyfull branche of bayes your sacred dores about with pompe of proude processyon passe let Hiâ—â—â—es be ratled out Spende frankconsenâ—e and let the nose of God be stretched wyde With pleasant smoke do this and addâ— more honour much besyde That he preserue your goodly lyfe wherin doth you torment Sometime great cold sometime heaâ— â—ow plague now famishement Now bloudy warres now sicknes great or chaunce to sorowe at Sometime the busye byting flye sometime the stynging â—nat The Chynâ—h and Flea Keioyce I saye that here you leade your lyfe With thousand painfull labours great in trauaile toyle and stryfe And after in a little space in paine you drop away And lompishe lye in lothsome vawlt to wormes a grateful praye O worthy lyfe O goodly gift of God man in this world is bredde Among the brutishe beastes and fooles and â—â—aues hys lyfe is ledde Wher stormes and flakey snowes yse and durt and dust and night And harmful ayre and cloudes mistes and windes wyth hellish syght And grief wailing raynes wher death besyde doth worke his feate Is this our goodly countrey here is this our happy seate For which we owe such seruice here vnto the Goddes aboue For which it seemeth mete wyth vowes the heauenly saynâ—ts to moue And if none other life we haue than this of body vayne So frayle and ful of fylthinesse when death hath carcasse stayne I see not why such prayses should of God resound in ayre Nor why we should such honour giue to hym in temples fayre That hath vs wretches framed here in this so wretched soyle That shall for euermore decay after so great a toyle Wherfore least God shall seeme vniust and ful of cruelnesse Shal well deseruing counted be we must of force confesse That death doth not destroy the soule but that it alwayes is None otherwise than sprite in ayre and sainct in heauen liues Both voyd of body sleepe and meate And more we must confesse That after death they liue in paynes or perfect blessednesse But let this reason thee suffise for if thou this do shewe Unto the wicked kinde they laugh no light the blinde doth knowe But thou beleue for euermore and know assuredly For ground of sauing health it is that soule doth neuer dye Exempted from the Sisters power and fatal destiny These things foretolde made euident let vs begin to tell The perfect life that makes vs like to saincts aboue that dwell By which the heauens we desyre But syth doth best appeare Contrary things when they be seene and ioyned something neere Wherfore it is conuenient first the bodies life to showe That drawes vs downe froÌ„ heauen hie to minde the earth below And makes vs like to brutish beastes contrary to the soule This life he liues though naught y t doth for stately honours prowle And seekes with al his force the fruicte of praise and glory vayne Desiring only men to please with fonde vayne glorious brayne And he that wholly doth apply himself a wealth to get By right or wrong and hath his heart vpon his riches set A two leggde Mole that alwayes doth in earth enâ—ombed lye Not casting once his eyes aloft vnto the heauens hye And be that drownde in lecherie and surfeâ—s euer lyes Regarding only fleshly ioyes doth shamefastnesse despise Runnes headlong into whoredome vile and fattes himselfe with meate A foolish man that so the wormes may haue more foode to eate Al these same vile and fylthy kindes that I haue reckned here May wel be called fleshly men for loue to flesh they beare Whose life doth differ smal froÌ„ beastes But now on the other side He that doth prayse of men depise and pomp of worldly pride Doth liue with chast and Godly minde is calde a spiritual man Bicause his sprite the body rulde and lust subdued than Doth freely guide and hath his place in hiest part of brayne Therefore the Godly life is fyrst with bridle to restrayne Fond pleasure Gluttony and lust to conquer flesh with sprite For to neglect al worldly things and only set delight On heauen heauen most to wysh and chieâ—ly to regard There is the soyle for soules and seate for vertuous men preparde There to the body layd in graue the righteous soules do clime Most glorious soules that brightly doe with glorious vertue shine And feele in euer lasting light an euerlasting ioy But chiefly let the vertuous man his time and toyle employ In learning vsing styll to reade such bokes as do entreate Of God of soule and wretched state of this our dwelling seate Of death or other honest things and let him night and day Of these both often reade and talke and wel in minde them way But wanton workes wanton words let him with head eschew Alas how sore do such affayres a vertuous minde subdew For reading is the foode of minde which if it vertuous be Doth profyt much if it be yll doth hurt excedinglye None otherwise than euyll meate doth hurt the man that chawes These thinges though they muste all be kept yet nothing more withdrawes A man from loue of filthy flesh nor leades to God more nye Than oftentimes to ponder well of life the misery Which since it is so short and full of such calamitie Seemes rather death than life to me yea worse than death to be For who is it that doth not see who doth not playne perceaue That yrksome gall and bytternesse to euery parte do cleaue If euery thing thou wel doest sift nought perfect shalt thou fynde For nature poysoned hath the partes of all and euery kind Most things haue double face ful black within and outward white And with their colour do deceyue the iudgement of the sighte If ought there be here in this life both fayre and good besyde Like smoke and mist it flyes away and doth no time abide Time suffers nothing long on earth death maketh al things vayne And turnes and tumbles vnder foote of man the proud disdayne Alas how al this worldly pompe doth quickly passe away How wauering is renoume of man how sone doth it decay Much like the bubble swelling great amyd the