vices raigne God wanteth power say they of what we can The other would performe that which is vaine Both faultie in one fault and both alike Must haue the stroke which our lawes iudgements strike He calls himselfe a sonne from heauens descent What can earths force aualie gainst heauens defence His life by immortalitie is lent Then how can punishment his wrath incense Though death her selfe in his arraignment decke He hath his lifes preseruer at a becke verse 21 As doth the Basiliske with poysoned sight Blinde euery function of a mortall eye Disarme the bodies powers of vitall might Rob heart of thought make liuing life to die So doth the wicked with their vices looke Infect the spring of clearest vertues brooke This Basiliske mortalities chiefe foe And to the hearts long-knitted arterie Doth sometime perish at her shadowes showe Poysning her selfe with her owne poysoned eie Needs must the sting fall out with ouer-harming Needs must the tong burne out in ouer-warming verse 22 So fares it with the practisers of vice Laden with many venomous adders stings Sometimes are blinded with their owne deuice And tunes that song which their destruction sings Their mischeife blindeth their mischeiuous eies Like Basiliskes which in their shadow dies They goe and yet they cannot see their feete Like blinded pilgrimes in an vnknowen way Blind in perceiuing things which be most meete But neede nor sight nor guide to goe astray Tel them of good they cannot vnderstand But tell them of a mischeife that 's at hand The Basiliske was made to blind the sight verse 23 24 The adder for to sting the worme to creepe The viper to deuoure the dog to bite The nightingale to wake when others sleepe Onely man differs from his makers will Vndoing what is good and doing ill A god-like face he had a heauenly hue Without corruption image without spottes But now is metamorphosed anewe Full of corruption image full of blottes Blotted by him that is the plot of euill Vndone corrupted vanquisht by the deuill Chapter III. verse 1 BVt euery cloude can not hide Phoebus face Nor shut the casement of his liuing flame Nor is there euery soule which wanteth grace Nor euery hart seducde with mischiefs name Life cannot liue without corruption World cannot be without destruction Nor is the body all corrupt or world Bent wholie vnto wickednes assault The adder is not alwaies seene vncurlde Nor euery soule found guiltie in one fault Some good some bad but those whom vertues guard Heauen is their hauen comfort their reward verse 2 3 Thrice happy habitation of delight Thrice happy step of immortalitie Thrice happy soules to gaine such heauenly sight Springing from heauens perpetuitie Oh peacefull place but oh thrice peacefull soules Whom neither threats nor strife nor wars control They are not like the wicked for they liue Nor they like to the righteous for they die Each of their liues a differing nature giue One thinkes that life endes with mortalitie And that the righteous neuer liue againe But die as subiects to a grieuous paine verse 4 What labouring soule refuseth for to sweat Knowing his hire his paiment his reward To suffer winters colde and summers heate Assured of his labours due regard The Bee with summers toile will lade her hiue In winters frost to keepe herselfe aliue And what diuinest spirit would not toile And suffer many torments many paines This worlds destruction heauie laboures foile When heauen is their hire heauens ioy their gaines Who would not suffer torments for to die When deaths reward is immortalitie verse 5 Paine is the entrance to eternall ioy Death endeth life and death beginneth life Beginneth happy endeth in annoy Begins immortall peace ends mortall strife Then seeing death and paines bring ioy and heauen What need we feare deaths pain when life is giuen Say sicknes or infairmities disease As many harmes hang ouer mortall heades Should be his worlds reward yet heauen hath ease A salue to cure and quiet resting beds God maketh in earths world lament our pleasure That in heaueÌ„s world delight might be our treasure verse 6 Faire may the shadow bee the substance foule After the â—â—…all followeth the trust The clearest skinne may haue the soulest soule The purest golde will looner take the ruste The brooke though nere so cleare may take some foile The hart thogh nere so strong may take some foile Wouldst thou be counted iust make thy selfe iust Oh purifie thy mire be spotted heart For god doth trie thy actions ere he trust Thy faith thy deeds thy wordes and what thou art He will receiue no mud for clearest springs Nor thy vnrighteous wordes for righteous things verse 7 As God is perfit God and perfit good So hee accepteth none but perfit mindes They euer prosper flourish liue and bud Like blessed plants far from destructions winds Still bud nere fade still flourish nere decay Stil rise nere fall still spring nere fade away Who would not couet to be such a plant Who would not wish to stand in such a ground Sith it doth neither fruit nor blessing want Nor ought which in this plant might not be found They are the righteous which enioye this earth The figure of an euer-bearing birth verse 8 The small is alwayes subiect to the great The yong to him which is of elder time The lowest place vnto the highest seate And pale-facde Phoebe to bright Phoebus clime Vice is not gouerner of vertues place But blushes for to see see so bright a face Vertue is chiefe and vertue will be chiefe Chiefe good and chiefe Astraea Iustice mate Both for to punish and to yeeld reliefe And haue dominion ouer euery state To rghit the wrongs which wickednes hath done Deliuering Nations from life-lasting mone verse 9 Oh you whose causes plungeth in despaire Sad facde petitioners with griefes request What seeke you heere 's nor Iustice nor her heire But woe and sorrow with deaths dumbe arrest Turne vp your woe blinde eyes vnto the skie There sits the Iudge can yeeld you remedie Trust in his power he is the truest God True God true Iudge true Iustice and true guide All trueth is placed in his trueths abode All vertues seated at his verouous side He will regarde your sure and ease your plaint And mollifie your miseries constraint verse 10 Then shall you see the Iudges of the earth Summoned with the trumpet of his ire To giue account and reckning from their birth Where worthy or vnworthy of their hire The godly shall receiue their labours triall The wicked shall receiue their ioyes deniall They which did sleepe in sinne and not regarded The poore mans fortune prostrate at their feete Euen as they dealt so shall they be rewarded When they their toyled soules destruction meet From Iudges they petitioners shall be Yet want the sight which they do sue to see verse 11 That labour which is grounded on delight That hope which reason doth enrich with hap That merite which is
THE WISDOME of Solomon Paraphrased Written by Thomas Middleton A Joue surgit opus Printed at London by Valentine Sems dwelling on Adling hil at the signe of the white Swanne 1597. ⧠To the right Honourable and my very good Lord Robert Deuoreux Erle of Essex and Ewe Vicount of Hereford Lorde Ferrers of Chartley Boutcher and Louayne Maister of her Maiesties Horse and Ordonance Knight of the honourable order of the Gartor and one of her Maiesties most honâ—rable priuie Counsell THe Summers Haruest right Honourable is long since reapt now it is sowing time againe behold I haue scattred a few seedes vpon the yong ground of vnskilfulnesse if it beare fruit my labour is well bestowed but if it be barren I shall haue lesse ioy to set more The husbandman obserues the courses of the Moone I the forces of your fauor he desireth sun-shine I cheerefull countenance which once obtayned my haruest of ioy will soone bee ripened My seedes as yet lodge in the bosome of the earth like Infantes vpon the lappe of a Fauourite wanting the budding spring-time of their growth not knowing the Est of their glorie the west of their quietnesse the South of their summer the North of their winter but if the beames of your aspectes lighten the small moytie of a smaller implanting I shall haue an euery-day-haruest a fruition of content a braunch of felicitie Your Honours addicted in all obseruance Thomas Midleton To the Gentlemen Readers GEntlemen I giue you the surueyaunce of my new-bought grounde and will only stand vnto your verdicts I feare me that the acres of my fielde passe the anchers of my seed if wanting seed then I hope it wil not be to much seeded this is my bare excuse but trust me had my wit been sufficient to maintaine the freedome of my will then both should haue been answerable to your wishes yet neuerthelesse thinke of it as a willing though not a fulfilling moity But what meane I while I thus argue Momus and Zoylus those two Rauens deuoure my seede because J lacke a Scarre-crowe indeede so J may haue lesse than I haue when such fowle-gutted Rauens swallowe vp my portion if you gape for stuffing hie you to dead carrion carkasses and make them your Ordinaries J beseeche you Gentlemen let mee haue your ayde and as you haue seene the first practise of my husbandry in sowing so let me haue your helping hands vnto my reaping Yours deuoted in friendship Thomas Middleton The Wisedome of Solomon paraphrased CHAP. 1. verse 1 WIsedome Elixer of the purest life Hath taught hir lesson to iudicial views To those that iudge a cause end a strife Which sits in Iudgements seat Iustice vse A lesson worthy of diuinest eare Quintessence of a true diuinest scare Vnwilling that exordium should retaine Her life-infusing speech doth thus begin You quoth shee that giue remedy or paine Loue Iustice for iniustice is a sin Giue vnto God his due his reuerent stile And rather vse simplicity then guile For him that guides the radiant eie of day verse 2 Sitting in his star-chamber of the Skie The Horizons and hemespheres obay And windes the fillers of vacultie Much lesse shuld man tempt God when all obay But rather be a guide and leade the way For temting argues but a sins attempt Temptation is to sin associate So doing thou from God art cleane exempt Whose loue is neuer placde in his loues hate He will be found not of a tempting minde But found of those which he doth faithfull finde verse 3 Temptation rather seperates from God Conuerting goodnes from the thing it was Heaping the indignation of his rod To bruse our bodies like a brittle glasse For wicked thoughts haue still a wicked end In making God our foe which was our frend They muster vpreuenge encamp our hate Vndoing what before they meant to do Stirring vp anger and vnluckie fate Making the earth their friend the heauen their foe But when heauens guide makes manifest his power The earth their frinds doth them like foes deuoure verse 4 O foolish men to warre against your blisse O hatefull harts where wisedome neuer raignd O wicked thoughts which euer thought amisse What haue you reapt what pleasure haue you gaind A fruite in shew a pleasure to decay This haue you got by keeping follies way For wisedomes haruest is with follie nipt And with the winter of your vices frost Her fruite all scattered her implanting ript Her name decayed her fruition lost Nor can she prosper in a plot of vice Gaining no summers warmth but winters ice verse 5 Thou barren earth where vertues neuer bud Thou fruitles wombe where neuer fruits abide And thou drie-withered sap which bears no good But the dishonor of thy prowd hearts pride A seate of al deceit deceit deceaude Thy blisse a woe thy woe of blisse bereaude This place of night hath left no place for day Here neuer shines the sunne of discipline But mischiefe clad in sable nights array Thoughts apparition euill Angelâ—s signe These raigne enhoused with their mother Night To cloude the day of clearest wisedomes light Oh you that practise to be chiefe in sinne verse 6 Loues hate hates friend friends foe foes follower What doe you gaine what merit do you winne To be blaspheming vices practiser Your gaine is wisedomes euerlasting hate Your merit griefe your griefe your liues debate Thou canst not hide thy thoght god made thy thoght Let this thy caucat be for thinking ill Thou knowst that Christ thy liuing freedome boght To liue on earth according to his will God being thy creator Christ thy blisse Why dost thou erre why dost thou do amisse verse 7 Hee is both Iudge and witnesse of thy deeds Hee knowes the volume which thy hart containes Christ skips thy faults only thy virtue reades Redeeming thee from all thy vices paines O happy crowne of mortall mans content Sent for our ioye our ioye in being sent Then sham'st thou not to erre to sin to stray To come to composition with thy vice With new-purg'd feete to treade the ouldest way Lending new sence vnto thy ould deuice Thy shame might flowe in thy sin-flowing face Rather then ebbe to make an ebbe of grace verse 8 For hee which rules the Orbe of heauen and earth And the ineqall course of euery starre Did knowe mans thoughts and secreats at his birth Whither enclinde to peace or discords iarre He knowes what man will be ere he be man And all his deeds in his lifes liuing span Then t is vnpossible that earth can hide Vnrighteous actions from a righteous God For he can see their feete in sin that slide And those that lodge in righteousnesse abode Hee will extend his mercy on the good His wrath on those in whom no vertues bud verse 9 Many there bee that after trespasse done Will seeke a couert for to hide their shame And range about the earth thinking to shunne Gods heauie wrath and meritorious blame They thinking
delight That bloody slaughter-house to peaces breast That lawlesse pallace to a place of right That slaughtring shambles to a liuing rest Made meete for iustice fit for happinesse Vnmeete for sin vnfit for wickednesse Yet the inhabitants though mischiefes slaues Were not dead-drencht in their destructions flood God hop'd to raise repentance from sins graues And hop'd that paines delay would make them good Not that he was vnable to subdue them But that their sins repentance should renue them verse 10 Delay is tooke for vertue and for vice Delay is good and yet delay is bad T is vertue when it thawes repentance ice T is vice to put off things we haue or had But here it followeth repentance way Therefore it is not sins nor mischiefes pray Delay in punishment is double paine And euery paine makes a twice double thought Doubling the way to our liues better gaine Doubling repentance which is single bought For fruitles grafts when they are too much lopt More fruitlesse are for why their fruits are stopt verse 11 So fares it with the wicked plants of sin The rootes of mischiefe toppes of villany They worser are with too much punishing Because by nature prone to iniury For t is but folly to supplant his thought Whose heart is wholy giuen to be nought These seeded were in seede oh cursed plant Seeded with other seede Oh cursed roote Too much of good doth turne vnto goods want As too much seede doth turne to too much soote Bitter in taste presuming of their height Like misty vapours in blacke-coloured night But god whose powerful arms one strength doth hold verse 12 Scorning to staine his force vpon their faces Will send his messengers both hote and colde To make them shadowes of their owne disgraces His hot Ambassador is fire his cold Is winde which two scorne for to be controld For who dares say vnto the King of kings What hast thou done which ought to be vndone Or who dares stand against thy iudgements stings Or dare accuse thee for the nations mone Or who dare say reuenge this ill for me Or stand against the Lord with villanie verse 13 What he hath done he knowes what he will doe He weigheth with the ballance of his eies What iudgement he pronounceth must be so And those he oppresseth cannot rise Reuenge lies in his hands when he doth please He can reuenge and loue punish and ease The carued spectacle which workemen make Is subiect vnto them not they to it They which from God a liuely forme do take Should much more yeeld vnto their makers wit Sith there is none but he which hath his thought Caring for that which he hath made of nought verse 14 The clay is subiect to the potters hands Which with a new deuice makes a new moule And what are we I pray but clayie bands With ashie body ioynde to cleaner soule Yet we once made scorne to be made againe But liue in sin like clayie lumps of paine Yet if hot anger smother coole delight Hee 'le mould our bodies in destructions forme And make our selues as subiects to his might In the least fewell of his angers storme Nor king nor tyrant dare aske or demaund What punishment is this thou hast in hand verse 15 We all are captiues to thy regall throne Out prison is the earth our bands our sins And our accuser our owne bodies grone Prest downe with vices weights and mischiefs gins Before the barre of heau'n we pleade for fauour To cleanse our sin-bespotted bodies sauour Thou righteous art our pleading then is right Thou mercifull we hope for mercies grace Thou ordrest euery thing with looke-on sight Behold vs prisoners in earths wandring race We know thy pitty is without a bound And sparest them which in some faults be found verse 16 Thy power is as thy selfe without an end Beginning all to end yet ending none Sonne vnto vertues sonne and wisedomes frend Originall of blisse to vertue showne Beginning good which neuer ends in vice Beginning flames which neuer ende in ice For righteousnes is good in such a name It righteous is t is good in such a deed A lamp it is fed with discretions flame Begins in seede but neuer ends in seed By this we know the Lord is iust and wise Which causeth him to spare vs when he tries verse 17 Iust because iustice weighs what wisedome thinkes Wise because wisedome thinkes what iustice weighs One vertue maketh two and two more linckes Wisedome is iust and iustice neuer straies The help of one doth make the other better As is the want of one the others letter But wisedome hath two properties in wit As iustice hath two contraries in force Heate added vnto heate augmenteth it As too much water bursts a water-course Gods wisdome too much proou'd doth breed gods hate Gods iustice too much mou'de breeds Gods debate verse 18 Although the ashy prison of fire-durst Doth keepe the flaming heate imprisoned in Yet sometime wil it burne when flame it must And burst the ashie caue where it hath bin So if Gods mercy passe the bounds of mirth It is not mercy then but mercies dearth Yet how can loue breed hate without hates loue God doth not hate to loue nor loue to hate His equitie doth euery action proue Smothring with loue that spitefull enuies fate For should the teene of anger trace his brow The very puffes of rage would driue the plow verse 19 But God did end his toile when world begun Now like a louer studies how to please And win their harts againe whom mischiefe won Lodg'd in the mansion of their sins disease Hee made each mortall man two eares two eyes To heare and see yet he must make them wise If imitation should direct mans life T is life to imitate a liuing corse The things example makes the thing more rife God louing is why do wee want remorce Hee put repentance into sinfull hearts And sed their fruitlesse soules with fruitfull arts verse 20 21 If such a boundlesse Ocean of good deeds Should haue such influence from mercies streame Kissing both good and ill flowers and weedes As doth the sunnie flame of Tytans beame A greater Tethis then should mercy bee In flowing vnto them which loueth thee The sunne which shines in heau'n doth light the earth The earth which shines in sin doth spight the haau'n Sinne is earths sunne the sunne of heau'n sins dearth Both odde in light being of height note eu'n Gods mercy then which spares both good and ill Doth care for both though not alike in will verse 22 Can vice be vertues mate or vertues meate Her company is bad her foode more worse Shee shames to sit vpon her betters seat As subiect beasts wanting the Lions force Mercy is vertues badge foe to disdaine Vertue is vices stop and mercies gaine Yet God is mercifull to mischiefe flowes More mercifull in sins and sinners want God chast'neth vs and punisheth our foes Like sluggish drones amongst a
laboring ant VVee hope for mercy at our bodies doome Wee hope for heau'n the baile of earthly tombe verse 23 What hope they for what hope haue they of heau'n They hope for vice and they haue hope of hell From whence their soules eternity is giu'n But such eternity which paines can tell They liue but better were it for to die Immortall in their paine and misery Hath hell such freedome to deuoure soules Are soules so bolde to rush in such a place God giues hell power of vice which hell controules Vice makes her followers bolde with armed face God tortures both the mistris and the man And ends in paine that which in vice began verse 24 A bad beginning makes a worser end Without repentance meet the middle way Making a mediocrity their friend Which else would be their foe because they stray But if repentance misse the middle line The sunne of vertue endes in wests decline So did it fare with these which strai'd too far Beyond the measure of the middayes eye In errors waies lead without vertues star Esteeming beast-like powers for deitie Whose heart no thought of vnderstanding ment Whose tongue no word of vnderstanding sent verse 25 Like infant babes bearing their natures shell Vpon the tender heads of tendrer wit which tongue-tide are hauing no tale to tell To driue away the childhood of their fit Vnfit to tune their tongue with wisedomes string Too fit to quench their thirst in follies spring But they were trees to babes babes sprigs to them They not so good as these in being nought In being nought the more from vices stem Whose essence cannot come without a thought To punish them is punishment in season They children like without or wit or reason verse 26 To bee derided is to be halfe dead Derision beares a part tweene life and death Shame followes her with misery halfe fed Halfe-breathing life to make halfe life and breath Yet here was mercy showne their deeds were more Then could bee wipte off by derisions score This mercy is the warning of misdeedes A trumpet summoning to vertues walls To notifie their hearts which mischiefe feeds Whom vice instructs whom wickednes exhal's But if derision can not murder sin Then shame shall end and punishment begin verse 27 For many shamelesse are bolde stout in ill Then how can shame take roote in shamlesse plants When they their browes with shamelesse furrows fill And plows ech place which one plow-furrow wants Then being arm'd gainst shame with shamlesse face How can derision take a shameful place But punishment may smoth their wrinckled brow And set shame on the forehead of their rage Guiding the forefront of that shamelesse row Making it smooth in shame though not in age Then will they say that God is iust and true But t is too late damnation will ensue Chapter XIII verse 1 THe branch must needs be weake if roote be so The roote must needs be weake it branches fall Nature is vaine man cannot be her foe Because from nature and at natures call Nature is vaine and wee proceede from nature Vaine therefore is our birth and vaine our feature One body may haue two diseases sore Not being two it may be ioynde to two Nature is one it selfe yet two and more Vaine ignorant of God of good of show Which not regards the things which god hath don And what things are to doe what new begun verse 2 Why doe I blame the tree when t is the leaues Why blame I nature for her mortall men Why blame I men t is she t is she that weaues That weaues that wafts vnto destructions pen Then being blamefull both because both vaine I leaue to both their vanities due paine To prize the shadow at the substance rate Is a vaine substance of a shadowes hue To thinke the sonne to be the fathers mate Earth to rule earth because of earthly view To thinke fire winde ayre stars water and heau'n To be as Gods from whom their selues are giu'n verse 3 Fire as a God oh irreligious sound Winde as a God oh vaine oh vainest voice Aire as a God when t is but duskie ground Star as a God when t is but Phoebes choice Water a God which first by God was made Heauen a God which first by God was laide Say all hath beautie excellence array Yet beautifide they are they were they bee By Gods bright excellence of brightest day Which first implanted our first beuties tree If then the painted outside of the show Bee radiant what is the inward row verse 4 If that the shadowe of the bodies skin Bee so illumin'd with the sun-shin'd soule What is the thing it selfe which is within More wrencht more cleansde more purifi'd from foul If elementall powers haue Gods thought Say what is God which made them all of nought It is a wonder for to see the skie And operation of each ayrye power A meruaile that the heau'n should be so hie And let fall such a low distilling shower Then needs must hee bee high higher then all Which made both hie and lowe with one tongues call verse 5 The workeman mightier is then his hand-worke In making that which else would be vnmade The nere-thought thing doth alwaies hidden lurke Without the maker in a making trade For had not God made man man had not beene But nature had decayde and nere beene seene The workman neuer shewing of his skill Doth liue vnknowne to man though knowne to wit Had mortall birth beene neuer in Gods will God had beene God but yet vnknowne in it Then hauing made the glory of earths beautie T is reason earth should reuerence him in dutie verse 6 The sauadge people haue a supreame head A king though sauadge as his subiects are Yet they with his obseruances are lead Obaying his beheasts what ere they were The Turkes the infidels all haue a Lord Whom they obserue in thought in deed in word And shall we differing from their sauage kinde Hauing a soule to liue and to beleeue Be rude in thought in deed in word in minde Not seeking him which should our woes releeue Oh no deere brethren seeke our God our fame Then if wee erre we shall haue lesser blame verse 7 How can wee erre wee seeke for ready way Oh that my tongue could fetch that word againe Whose very accent makes me go astray Breathing that erring wind into my braine My word is past and cannot be recalde It is like aged time now waxen balde For they which goe astray in seeking God Doe misse the ioyefull narrow-footed path Ioyfull thrice ioyfull way to his abode Nought seeing but their shadowes in a bath Narcissus-like pining to see a show Hindring the passage which their feete should goe verse 8 9 Narcissus fantasie did die to kisse O sugred kisse dide with a poisoned lip The fantasies of these do die to misse Oh tossed fantasies in follies ship He dide to kisse the shadow of his face These liue and die to
mountaines tops My honour shall bee placed in deceit And counterfait new shewes of little weight verse 10 My pen doth almost blush at this replie And faine would call him wicked to his face But then his breath would answeâ—… with a lie And staine my inck with an vntruths disgrace Thy maister bids thee write the pen sayes no But when thy maister bids it must be so Call his hart ashes oh too mild a name Call his hope vile more viler then the earth Call his life weaker then a clayeie frame Call his bespotted heart an ashye hearth Ashes earth clay conioyn'd to heart hope life Are features loue in being natures strife verse 11 Thou mightst haue chose more stinging wordes then these For this he knowes he is and more then lesse In saying what he is thou dost appease The foming anger which his thoughts suppresse Who knowes not if the best be made of clay The worst must needs be clad in foule array Thou in performing of thy maisters will Dost teach him to obay his lords commaunds But he repugnant is and cannot skill Of true adoring with heart-heau'd vp hand Hee hath a soule a life a breath a name Yet is he ignorant from whence they came verse 12 My soule saith he is but a mappe of shoes No substance but a shadow for to please My life doth passe euen as a pastime goes A momentary time to liue at ease My breath a vapour and my name of earth Each one decaying of the others birth Our conuersation best for there is gaines And gaine is best in conuersations prime A mart of lucre in our conscience raignes Our thoughts as busie agents for the time So we get gaine ensnaring simple men It is no matter how nor where nor when verse 13 We care not how for all misdeedes are ours We care not where if before God or man We care not when but when our crafts haue powres In measuring deceit with mischiefes fanne For wherefore haue we life forme and ordaining But that we should deceiue and still be gaining I made of earth haue made al earthen shops And what I sell is al of earthy sale My pots haue earthen feete and earthen tops In like resemblance of my bodies vale But knowing to offend the heauens more I made fraile images of earthy store verse 14 O bold accuser of his owne misdeedes O heauy clod more than the earth can beare Was neuer creature clothde in sauage weedes Which would not blush when they this mischief hear Thou toldst a tale which might haue bin vntolde Making the hearers blush the readers olde Let them blush still that heares be olde that reades Then boldnes shal not raigne nor youth in vice Thrice miserable they which rashly speeds With expedition to this bold deuice More foolish than are fooles whose misery Cannot be changde with new felicitie verse 15 Are not they fooles which liue without a sence Haue not they misery which neuer ioy Which takes an idoll for a Gods defence And with their self-willd thoghts themselues destroy What folly is more greater than is here Or what more miserie can wel appeere Call you them gods which haue no seeing eyes No noses for to smell no eares to heare No life but that which in deaths shadow lies Which haue no hands to feele no feete to beare If gods can neither heare liue feele nor see A foole may make such gods of euery tree verse 16 And what was he that made them but a foole Conceiuing follie in a foolish braine Taught and instructed in a wodden schoole Which made his head run of a wodden vaine T was man which made them he his making had Man full of wood was wood and so ran mad He borrowed his life and would restore His borrowed essence to another death He faine would be a maker though before Was made himselfe and God did lend him breath No man can make a god like to a man He sayes he scornes that worke he furder can verse 17 He is deceiude and in his great deceit He doth deceiue the folly-guided harts Sin lies in ambush he for sin doth waite Here is deceit deceiude in either parts His sin deceiueth him and he his sin So craft with craft is mewed in either gin The crafts-man mortall is craft mortall is Each function nursing vp the others want His hands are mortall deadly what is his Onely his sins buds in destructions plant Yet better he than what he doth deuise For he himselfe doth liue that euer dies verse 18 Say call you this a God where is his head Yet headlesse is he not yet hath he none Where is his godhead fled his power dead His raigne decayed and his essence gone Now tell me is this God the God of good Or else Siluanus monarch of the wood There haue I pierst his barke for he is so A wooden god fainde as Siluanus was But leauing him to others let vs go To senslesse beasts their new adoring glasse Beasts which did liue in life yet died in reason Beasts which did seasons eate yet knew no season verse 19 Can mortall bodies and immortall soules Keepe one knit vnion of a liuing loue Can sea with land can fish agree with foules Tygers with lambes a serpent with a doue Oh no they cannot then say why doe wee Adore a beast which is our enimy What greater foe than folly vnto wit What more deformitie than vgly face This disagrees for follie is vnfit The other contrary to beauties place Then how can senslesse heads deformed shoes Agree with you when they are both your foes Chapter XVI verse 1 OH call that word againe they are your friends Your liues associats and your loues content That which begins in them your follie ends Then how can vice with vice be discontent Beholde deformitie sits on your heads Not hornes but scornes not visage but whole beds Beholde a heap of sins your bodies pale A mountaine-ouerwhelming villany Then tell me are you clad in beauties vale Or in destructions pale-dead liuerie Their life demonstrates now aliue now dead Tormented with the beasts which they haue fed verse 2 3 You like to Pelicans haue fed your death With follies-vaine let bloud from follies veyne And almost sterude your selues stopt vp your breath Had not Gods mercie helpt and easde your paine Beholde a new-found meat the Lord did send Which taught you to be new and to amend A strange disgested nutriment euen quailes Which taught them to be strange vnto misdeeds When you implore his aide he neuer failes To fill their hunger whom repentance feeds You see when life was halfe at deaths arrest Hee new created life at hungers feast verse 4 Say is your God like this whom you ador'd Or is this God like to your handie frame If so his power could not then afford Such influence which floweth from his name Hee is not painted made of wood and stone But he substantiall is and rules alone He can oppresse and
helpe helpe and oppresse The sinfull incolants of his made earth He can redresse and paine paine and redresse The mountaine-miseries of mortall birth Now tyrants you are next this but a show And merry index of your after woe verse 5 6 Your hot-colde misery is now at hand Hot because furies heat and mercies colde Cold because limping knit in frosty band And cold and hot in being shamefast-bolde They cruell were take crueltie their part For misery is but too meane a smart But when the Tygers iawes the Serpents stings Did summon them vnto this lifes decay A pardon for their faults thy mercy brings Cooling thy wrath with pitties sunnie day O tyrants tere your sin-bemired weeds Beholde your pardon sealde by mercies deeds verse 7 8 That sting which pained could not ease the paine Those iaws that wounded could not cure the wounds To turne to stings for helpe it were but vaine To iawes for mercie which wants mercies bounds The stings ô Sauiour were puld out by thee Their iawes claspt vp in midst of crueltie O soueraigne salue stop to a bloody streame O heauenly care and cure for dust and earth Celestiall watch to wake terrestriall dreame Dreaming in punishment mourning in mirth Now knowes our enimies that it is thee Which helpes and cures our griefe and misery verse 9 Our punishment doth end theirs new begins Our day appeares their night is not oreblowne Wee pardon haue they punishment for sins Now we are raisde now they are ouerthrowne Wee with huge beasts opprest they with a flie Wee liue in God and they against God die A flie poore flie to follow such a flight Yet art thou fed as thou wast fed before With dust and earth feeding thy wonted bite With selfe-like food from mortall earthly store A mischiefe-stinging food and sting with sting Do ready passage to destruction bring verse 10 Man beeing grasse is hopt and graz'd vpon With sucking grasse-hoppers of weeping dew Man being earth is wormes vermilion Which eats the dust and yet of bloudy hue In being grasse he is her grazing food In being dust he doth the wormes some good These smallest actors were of greatest paine Of follies ouerthrow of mischiefes fall But yet the furious dragons coulde not gaine The life of those whom verities exhale These follie ouercame they foolish were These mercie cur'd and cures these godly are verse 11 When poysoned iawes and veninated stings Were both as opposite against content Because content with that which fortune brings They eased were when thou thy mercies sent The iawes of dragons had not hungers fill Nor stings of serpents a desire to kill Appal'd they were and struck with timerous feares For where is feare but where destruction raignes Agast they were with wet eye-standing teares Outward commencers of their inward paines They soone were hurt but sooner healde and cured Lest black obliuion had their minds inured verse 12 The lion wounded with a fatall blow Is as impatient as a king in rage Seeing himselfe in his owne bloody show Doth rent the harbour of his bodies cage Scorning the base-housde earth mounts to the skie To see if heauen can yeeld him remedy Oh sinfull man let him example be A patterne to thine eye glasse to thy face That Gods diuinest word is cure to thee Not earth but heauen not man but heauenly grace Nor hearb nor plaister could help teeth or sting But t was thy word which healeth euery thing verse 13 We fooles lay salues vpon our bodies skin But neuer drawe corruption from our minde We lay a plaister for to keepe in sin We drawe foorth filth but leaue the cause behinde With hearbs and plaisters we do guard misdeedes And pare away the tops but leaue the seedes Away with salues and take our Sauiours word In this word Sauiour lies immortall ease What can thy cures plaisters and hearbs afford When God hath power to please and to displease God hath the power of life death help and paine He leadeth downe and bringeth vp againe verse 14 15 Trust to thy downefall not vnto thy raise So shalt thou liue in death not die in life Thou dost presume if giue thy selfe the praise For vertues time is scarce but mischiefes rife Thou mayst offend mans nature is so vaine Thou now in ioy beware of after paine First commeth fury after fury thirst After thirst blood and after blood a death Thou mayst in fury kill whome thou louedst first And so in quassing blood stop thine owne breath And murther done can neuer be vndone Nor can that soule once liue whose life is gone verse 16 What is the body but an earthen case That subiect is to death because earth dies But when the liuing soule doth want Gods grace It dies in ioy and liues in miseries This soule is led by God as others were But not brought vp againe as others are This stirs no prouocation to amend For earth hath many partners in one fall Although the Lord doth many tokens send As warnings for to heare when he doth call The earth was burnt drownd with fire raine And one could neuer quench the others paine verse 17 Althogh both foes God made them then both frends And onely foes to them which were their foes That hate begun in earth what in them ends Sins enimies they which made friends of those Both bent both forces vnto single earth From whose descent they had their double birth T is strange that water should not quench a fire For they were heating-cold and cooling hot T is strange that wailes could not allay desire Wailes waters kinde and fire desires knot In such a cause though enimies before They would ioyne friendship to destroy the more The often weeping eies of drie lament verse 18 Doth powre forth burning water of despaire Which warms the caues frō whence the tears are sent And like hot fumes do foule their natures faire This contrary to icie-waters vale Doth scorch the cheekes makes them red pale Here fire and water are conioynde in one Within a red-white glasse of hote and cold Their fire like this double and yet alone Raging and tame and tame and yet was bold Tame when the beasts did kill and felt no fire Raging vpon the causers of their ire verse 19 Two things may well put on two seuerall natures Because they differ in each natures kind They differing colours haue and differing features If so how comes it that they haue one minde God made them friends let this the answer be They get no other argument of me What is impossible to Gods command Nay what is possible to mans vaine eare T is much he thinkes that fire should burne a land When mischiefe is the brand which fiers beare He thinkes it more that water should beare fire Then know it was Gods will now leaue t' enquire verse 20 Yet mightst thou aske because importunate How God preserude the good why because good Ill fortune made not them infortunate They Angells were
placde in wisedomes might Secure from mischiefes baite or follies clap Wits labour reasons hope and wisedomess merit All three in one make one thrice happy spirit Why set I happinesse fore mortall eyes Which couets to be drencht in misery Mantling their foolish mindes in follies guise Despising wisedomes perpetuitie Sins labour follies hope and vices merit These three in one make a thrice cursed spirit verse 5 Vaine hope must needs consist in what is vaine All foolish laboures flowes from follies teares Vnprofitable workes proceed from paine And paine ill labours duest guerdon beares Their vanities in one and one in three Make three paines one and one vncertaintie A wicked King makes a more wicked land Heads once infected soone corrupts the feete If the tree falls the branches cannot stand Nor children bee their parents indiscreet The man infects the wife the wife the childe Like birdes which in one nest bee all defilde verse 6 The field which neuer was ordainde to beare Is happier farre then a still tilled ground This sleepes with quietnes in euery yeare The other curst if any tares bee found The barren happier then shee that beares This brings foorth ioye the other tares and teares The Eunuch neuer lay in vices bed The barren woman neuer brought foorth sin These two in heauens happines are led Shee fruite in soule hee fruite in faith doth win O rare and happy man for euer blest O rare and happy woman heauens guest verse 1 Who seekes to reape before the corne be ripe Who lookes for haruest among winters frost Or who in greife will followe pleasures pipe What mariner can saile vppon the coast That which is done in time is done in season And things done out of time is out of reason The glorious labour is in doing good In times obseruance and in natures will Whose fruite is also glorious for our foode If glory may consist in labours skill Whose roote is wisdome which shal neuer wither But spring and sprout and loue and liue together verse 2 But euery ground doth not beare blessed plants Nor euery plant brings foorth expected frute What this same ground may haue another wants Nor are all causes answered with one sute That tree whose roote is sound whose grounding strong May firmely stand when others lie along View natures beautie marke her chaunging hue Shee is not alwaies foule nor alwaies faire Chaste and vnchaste she is true and vntrue And some springs from her in a lustfull aire And these adulterers be whose seede shall perish Neuer shall lust and wickednes long florish verse 5 Although the flint be hard the water soft Yet is it molifide with lightest drops Hard is the water when the wind 's aloft Small things in time may vanquish greatest stops The longer growes the tree the greater mosse The longer soile remaines the more the drosse The longer that the wicked liues on earth The greater is their paine their sin their shame The greater vices raigne and vertues dearth The greater goodnes lacke and mischiefes name When in their youth no honour they could get Olde age could neuer pay so yong a debt verse 6 To place an honour in dishonours place Were but to make disparagement of both Both enimies they could not brooke the case For honor to subuert dishonors growth Dishonor will not chaunge for honours roome Shee hopes to stay after their bodies doome Or liue they long or die they sodainly They haue nor hope nor comfort of rewarde Their hope of comfort is iniquitie The barre by which they from their ioyes are bard O olde newe end made to begin newe griefe O new beginning end of old reliefe Chapter IIII. verse 1 IF happines may harbour in content If life in loue if loue in better life Then vnto many happines is lent And long departed ioy might then be rife Some happy if they liue some if they dye Happy in life happy in tragedy Content is happines because content Barenes and barrennes is vertues grace Bare because wealth to pouertie is bent Barren in that it scornes ill fortunes place The barren earth is barren of her tares The barren woman barren of her cares verse 2 The soule of vertue is eternitie All-filling essence of diuinest rage And vertues true eternall memory Is barrennes her soules eternall gage O happy soule that is engaged there And pawnes his life that barren badge to weare See how the multitude with humble harts Lies prostrate for to welcome her returne See how they mourne and waile when she departs See how they make their teares her trophees vrne Being present they desire her being gone Their hot desire is turnde to hoter moane verse 3 As euery one hath not one natures mould So euery one hath not one natures minde Some think that drosse which others take for golde Each difference commeth from a differing kinde Some do despise what others do imbrace Some praise the thing which others do disgrace The barren doth embrace their barrennesse And holde it as a vertue worthy meede The other calles conception happinesse And holde it as a vertue worthy deede The one is firmely grounded on a rocke The other billows game and tempests mocke verse 4 Sometime the nettle groweth with the rose The nettle hath a sting the rose a thorne This stings the hand the other prickes the nose Harming that scent which her sweete birth had borne Weeds among herbs herbs among weeds are found Tares in the mantle of a corny ground The nettles growth is fast the roses slow The weeds outgrow the herbs the tares the corne These may be well compared to vices show Which couets for to grow ere it be borne As greatest danger doth pursue fast going So greatest danger doth ensue fast growing verse 5 The tallest Cedar hath the greatest winde The highest tree is subiect vnto falles High soaring Eagles soone are strucken blinde The tong must needes be hoarse with many calles The wicked thinking for to touch the skie Are blasted with the fier of heauens eie So like ascending and descending aire Both duskie vapours from two humerous cloudes Lies withered the glory of their faire Vnpleasant branches wrencht in follies floudes Vnprofitable fruites like to a weede Made onely to infect and not to feede verse 6 Made for to make a fast and not a feast Made rather for infection than for meate Not worthy to be eaten of a beast Thy taste so sower thy poyson is so great Thou mayst be well compared to a tree Because thy branches are as ill as thee Thou hast begot thine owne confusion The witnesses of what thou dost beginne Thy doomers in thy lifes conclusion Which will vnaskt and askt reueale thy sinne Needs must the new hatched birds bewray the nest When they are nursed in a step-dames breast verse 7 But righteousnes is of another sex Her roote is from an euerlasting seede No weake-vnable grounding doth connex Her neuer-limited memorialles deed She hath no branches for a tempests pray No deedes
but scornes to yeeld vnto decay She hath no withered fruit no shew of store But perfect essence of a compleate power Say that she dies to world she liues the more As who so righteous but doth waite deaths hower Who knowes not death to be the way to rest And he that neuer dies is neuer blest verse 8 Happy is he that liues twice he that dies Thrice happy he which neither liu'd nor died Which neuer saw the earth with mortall eies Which neuer knew what miseries are tried Happy is life twice happy is our death But three times thrise he which had neuer breath Some thinkes that pleasure is atchieude by yeares Or by maintaining of a wretched life When out alas it heapeth teares on teares Griefe vpon griefe strife on beginning strife Pleasure is weake if measured by length The oldest ages hath the weaker strength verse 9 Three turnings are containde in mortal course Old meane and yong meane and old brings age The youth hath strength the meane decaying force The old are weake yet strong in angers rage Three turnings in one age strong weak weaker Yet age nor youth is youths or ages breaker Some sayes that youth is quicke in iudging causes Some sayes that age is witty graue and wise I holde of ages side with their applauses Which iudges with their hearts not with their eyes I say graue wisedome lies in grayest heads And vndefiled liues in ages beds verse 10 God is both graue and old yet yong and new Graue because aged aged because yong Long youth may wel be called ages hew And hath no differing sound vpon the tongue God old because eternities are old Yong for eternities one motion hold Some in their birth some dies when they are borne Some borne and some abortiue yet all die Some in their youth some in old age forlorne Some neyther yong nor old but equally The righteous when he liueth with the sinner Doth hope for death his better lifes beginner verse 11 The swine delights to wallow in the mire The giddy drunkard in excesse of wine He may corrupt the purest reasons gire And shee turne vertue into vices signe Mischiefe is mire and may infect that spring Which euery flowe and ebbe of vice doth bring Fishes are oft deceiued by the baite The baite-deceiuing fish doth fish deceiue So righteous are allurde by sins deceit And oft inticed into sinners weaue The righteous be as fishes to their gin Beguilde deceiude allured into sin The fisher hath a baite deceiuing fish verse 12 The fowler hath a net deceiuing fowles Both wisheth to obtaine their snaring wish Obseruing time like night-obseruing owles The fisher layes his baite fowler his net He hopes for fish the other birds to get This fisher is the wicked vice his baite This fowler is the sinner sinne his net The simple-righteous-falles in their deceit And like a prey a fish a fowle beset A baite a net obscuring what is good Like fish and fowle tooke vp for vices food verse 13 14 But baites nor nets gins nor beguiling snares Vice nor the vicious sinner not the sin Can shut the righteous into prisons cares Or set deceiuing baites to mew them in They know their liues deliuerer heauens God Can breake their baites and snares with iustice rod. When vice abounds on earth and earth in vice Then vertue keepes her chamber in the skie To shun the mischiefe which her baites intice Her snares her nets her guiles her companie Assoone as mischeife raignes vpon the earth Heauen calls the righteous to a better birth verse 15 The blinded eies can neuer see the way The blinded heart can neuer see to see The blinded soule doth alwayes go astray All three want sight in being blinde all three Blinde and yet see they see and yet are blinde The face hath eies but eyelesse is the minde They see with outward sight Gods heauenly grace His grace his loue his mercy on his Saints With outward faced eie and eied face Their outward body inwarde soule depaintes Of hearts chiefe eye they chiefely are berest And yet the shadowe of two eyes are left verse 16 Some blinded be in face and some in soule The faces eyes are not incurable The other wanteth healing to be whole Or seemes to some to be indurable Looke in a blinded eie bright is the glasse Though brightnes banished from what it was So quoth the righteous are these blinded hearts The outward glasse is cleare the substance darke Both seeme as if one tooke the others parts Yet both in one haue not one brightnes sparke The outwarde eye is but destructions reader Wanting the inwarde eye to be the leader Our body may be calde a common-weale verse 17 Our head the chiefe for reason harbours there From thence comes hearts and soules vnited zeale All else inferiours be which stande in feare This common-weale rul'd by discretions eye Liues likewise if shee liue dies if shee die Then how can weale or wealth common or proper Long stand long flowe long flourish long remaine When wail is weales stelth is welths chiefe stopper When sight is gone which neuer comes againe The wicked sees the righteous loose their breath But knowe not what rewarde they gaine by death verse 18 19 Though blinde in sight yet can they see to harme See to despise see to deride and mocke But their reuenge lies in Gods mighty arme Scorning to chuse them for his chosen flocke He is the shepheard godly are his sheepe They wake in ioy these in destruction sleepe The godly sleepe in eies but wake in hearts The wicked sleepe in hearts but wake in eies These euer-wake eyes are no sleepie partes These euer sleepe for sleepe is hearts disguise Their waking eies do see their hearts lament While heart securely sleepes in eyes content verse 20 If they awake sleepes image doth molest them And beates into their waking memories If they doe sleepe ioy-waking doth detest them Yet beates into their sleeping arteries Sleeping or waking they haue feare on feare Waking or sleeping they are ne're the neare If waking they remember what they are What sins they haue commmitted in their waking If sleeping they forget tormentings fare How ready they haue beene in mischiefes making When they awake their wickednes betrayes them When they do sleepe destruction dismayes them Chapter V. verse 1 AS these two slumbers haue two contraries One slumber in the face one in the minde So their two casements two varieties One vnto heauen and one to hell combinde The face is flattery and her mansion hell The minde is iust this doth in heauen dwell The face heauing her heauie eie-lids vp From foorth the chamber of eternall night Sees vertue holde plenties replenisht cup And boldly stands in Gods and heauens sight Shee opening the windowes of her brest Sees how the wicked rest in their vnrest verse 2 3 Quoth shee those whom the curtaine of decay Hath tragically summoned to paine Were once the cloudes and clouders of
She loues she likes and yet not lustfull blinde She is true loue the other loue a toy Her loue hath eyes the other loue is blinde This doth proceed from God this from a boy This constant is the other vaine combinde If longing passions follow her desire She offereth her selfe as labours hire verse 15 She is not coyish shee won by delay With sighs and passions which all louers vse With hot affection death or lifes decay With louers toyes which might their loues excuse Wisedome is poore her dowrie is content Shee nothing hath because shee nothing spent She is not woo'd to loue nor won by wooing Nor got by labour nor possest by paine The gaine of her consists in honest doing Her gaine is great in that she hath no gaine He that betimes followes repentance way Sall meet with her his vertues worthy pay To think vpon her is to think of blisse verse 16 The very thought of her is mischiefes barre Depeller of misdeeds which do amisse The blot of vanitie misfortunes scarre Who wold not think to reap such gain by thought Who would not loue when such a life is bought If thought be vnderstanding what is shee The full perfection of a perfect power A heauenly branch from Gods immortall tree Which death nor hell nor mischiefe can deuoure Her selfe is wisedome and her thought is so Thrice happie he which doth desire to know verse 17 Shee manlike woes men womenlike refuses She offers loue they offered loue denie And hould her promises as loues abuses Because she pleads with an indifferent eye They thinke that she is light vaine and vniust When she doth plead for loue and not for lust Hard hearted men quoth shee can you not loue Behold my substance cannot substance please Behold my feature cannot feature moue Can substance nor my feature helpe or ease See heauens ioy defigured in my face Can neither heauen nor ioy turne you to grace verse 18 19 Oh how desire swayes her pleading tong Her tongue her heart her heart her soules affection Faine would she make mortalitie be strong But mortall weaknes yeelds reiection Her care is care of them they carelesse are Her loue loues them they neither loue nor care Faine would shee make them clients in her lawe Whose laws assurance is immortall honour But them nor words nor loue nor care can awe But still will fight vnder destructions bonner Though immortalitie be their reward Yet neither words nor deeds will they regard verse 20 Her tongue is hoarse with pleading yet doth plead Pleading for that which they should all desire Their appetite is heauie made of lead And lead can neuer melt without a fire Her words are milde and cannot raise a heat Whilst they with hard repulse her speeches beat Requested they for what they should request Intreated they for what they should intreat Requested to enioye their quiet rest Intreated like a sullen bird to eate Their eies behold ioyes maker which doth make it Yet must they be intreated for to take it verse 21 You whose delight is plac'd in honours game Whose game in maiesties imperiall throne Maiesticke portratures of earthly fame Releeuers of the poore in ages mone If your content be seated on a crowne Loue wisedome and your state shall neuer downe Her crownes are not as earthly diadems But diapasans of eternall rest Her essence comes not from terrestriall stems But planted on the heauens immortall brest If you delight in scepters and in raigning Delight in her your crownes immortall gaining verse 22 Although the shadowes of her glorious view Hath beene as accessary to your eies Now will I shew you the true substance hiew And what she is which without knowledge lies From whence she is deriude whence her discent And whence the linage of her birth is lent Now will I shew the skie and not the cloude The sunne and not the shade day not the night Tethis her selfe not Tethis in her floud Light and not shadow of suppressing light Wisedome her selfe true tipe of wisedomes grace Shall be apparant before heart and face verse 23 Had I still fed you with the shade of life And hid the sunne it selfe in enuies aire My selfe might well be called natures strife Striuing to cloude that which all cloudes impaire But Enuy haste thee hence I loathe thy eie Thy loue thy life thy selfe thy company Here is the banner of discretions name Aduaunst on wisedomes euer-standing tower Here is no place for enuie or her shame For Nemesis or blacke Mageraes power He that is enuious is not wisedomes frend She euer liues he dies when enuies end verse 24 25 Happy thrice happy land where wisedome raignes Happy thrice happy king whom wisedome swayes Where neuer poore laments or soules complaines Where follie neuer keepes discretions wayes That land that king doth flourish liue and ioy Farre from ill fortunes reach or sins annoy That land is happy that king fortunate She in her dayes he in his wisedomes force For fortitude is wisedomes sociate And wisedome truest fortitudes remorce Be therefore rulde by wisedome she is chiefe That you may rule in ioy and not in griefe Chapter VII verse 1 WHat am I man oh what is man oh nought What am I nought yes what sin debate Three vices all in one of one life bought Man am I not what then I am mans hate Yes man I am man because mortall dead Mortalitie my guide by mischiefe led Man because like to man man because borne In birth no man a child child because weake Weake because weakned by ill fortunes scorne Scorn'd because mortall mortall in wrongs reake My father like my selfe did liue on earth I like my selfe and him folow his birth verse 2 My mothers matrice was my bodies maker There had I this same shape of infamies Shape ah no shape but substance mischiefes taker In ten months fashion months ah miseries The shame of shape the very shape of shame Calamitie my selfe lament my name I was conceiude with seede deceiude with sin Deceiude because my seede was sins deceit My seede deceit because it closde me in Hemd me about for sins and mischiefes baite The seede of man did bring me into blood And now I bring my selfe in what no good verse 3 When I was borne when I was then I was Borne when yet borne I was but now I beare Beare mine owne vices which my ioyes surpasse Beare mine owne burden full of mischiefes feare When I was borne I did not beare lament But now vnborne I beare what birth hath spent When I was borne my breath was borne to mee The common aire which aires my bodies forme Then fell I on the earth with feeble knee Lamenting for my life 's ill fortunes storme Making my selfe the index of my woe Commencing what I could ere I could goe verse 4 5 Fed was I with lament as well as meat My milke was sweet but teares did make it sower Meat and lament milke and my teares I eat As bitter
herbs commixt with sweetest flower Care was my swadling clothes as well as cloth For I was swadled and clothed in both Why do I make my selfe more then I am Why say I I am nourished with cares When euery one is clothed with the same Sith as I fare my selfe another fares No King had any other birth then I But waild his fortune with a watry eye verse 6 Say what is mirth an entrance vnto woe Say what is woe an entrance vnto mirth That which begins with ioy doth not end so These go by chaunge because a changing birth Our birth is as our death both barren bare Our entrance waile our going out with care Naked we came into the world as naked Wee had nor wealth nor riches to possesse Now differ we which difference riches maked Yet in the end we naked nerethelesse As our beginning is so is our end Naked and poore which needs no wealth to spend verse 7 Thus weighing in the ballance of my minde My state all states my birth all births alike My meditated passions could not finde One freed thought which sorrow did not strike But knowing euery ill is curde by praier My minde besought the Lord my griefes allaier Wherefore I prayde my praier tooke effect And my effect was good my good was gaine My gaine was sacred wisedomes bright aspect And her aspect in my respect did raigne Wisedome that heau'nly spirit of content Was vnto me from heau'n by praier sent verse 8 A present far more worthy then a crowne Because the crowne of an eternall rest A present far more worthie then a throne Because the throne of heau'n which makes vs blest The crowne of blisse the throne of God is shee Compared vnto heau'n not earth to thee Her foot-stoole is thy face her face thy shame Thy shame her liuing praise her praise thy scorne Thy scorne her loue her loue thy merits blame Thy blame her worth her worth thy being borne Thy selfe art drosse to her comparison Thy valour weake vnto her garison verse 9 To liken gold vnto her radiant face Were likening day to night and night to day The Kings high seat to the low subiects place And heau'ns translucent breast to earthly way For what is golde her scorne her scorne her ire Melting that drosse with nought but angers fire In her respect t is dust in her aspects Earth in respect of her t is little grauell As dust as earth as grauell she reiects The hope the gaine the sight the price the trauell Siluer because inferiour to the other Is clay which two she in one looke doth smother verse 10 Her sight I called health her selfe my beautie Health as my life and beautie as my light Each in performance of the others dutie This curing griefe this leading me aright Two soueraigne eies belonging to two places This guides the soule and this the body graces The heart sicke soule is cur'd by heart-strong health The heart-strong health is the soules brightest eye The heart-sick body heal'd by beauties wealth Two sunnie windolets of eithers skie Whose beames cannot be clouded by reproach Nor yet dismounted from so bright a coach verse 11 What dowrie could I wish more then I haue What wealth what honour more then I possesse My soules request is mine which I did craue For sole redresse in soule I haue redresse The bodyly expences which I spend Is lent by her which my delight doth lend Then I may call her author of my good Sith good and goods are portions for my loue I loue her well who would not loue his food His ioyes maintatiner which all woes remoue I richest am because I doe possesse her I strongest am in that none can oppresse her verse 12 It made me glad to thinke that I was rich More gladder for to thinke that I was strong For lowest mindes do couet highest pitch As highest braues proceed from lowest tongue Her first arriuall first did make me glad Yet ignorant at first first made me sad Ioyfull I was because I sawe her power Wofull I was because I knew her not Glad that her face was in mine eies lockt bower Sad that my senses neuer drew her plot I knew not that she was discretions mother Though I profest my selfe to be her brother verse 13 Like a rash wooer feeding on the lookes Disgesting beauty apparitions show Viewing the painted out-side of the bookes And inward workes little regardes to know So I feeding my fancies with her sight Forgot to make inquirie of her might Externall powers I knew riches I had Internall powers I scarcely had discerne Vntamedly I learned to be glad Faining I hated veritie I learnd I was not enuious learned to forsake her But I was louing learned for to take her verse 14 And had I not my treasure had bin lost My losse my perills hazard had proclaimde My perill had my lifes destruction tost My lifes destruction at my soule had aimde Great perills hazarded from one poore losse As greatest filth doth come with smallest drosse This righteous treasure whoso rightly vseth Shall be an heire in heau'ns eternitie All earthly fruites her heretage excuseth All happinesse in her felicitie The loue of God consists in her embracing The gifts of knowledge in her wisedomes placing verse 15 I speake as I am prompted by my mind My soules chiefe agent pleader of my cause I speake these things and what I speake I finde By heau'ns iudgement not mine owne applause God he is iudge I next because I haue her God he doth know I next because I craue her Should I direct and God subuert my tongue I worthy were of an vnworthy name Vnworthy of my right not of my wrong Vnworthy of my praise not of my shame But seeing God directs my tongue from missing I rather looke for clapping than for hissing verse 16 He is the prompter of my tongue and me My tongue doth vtter what his tongue applies He sets before my sight what I should see He breathes into my heart his verities He telles me what I thinke or see or heare His tongue a part my tongue a part doth beare Our wordes he knowes in telling of our hearts Our hearts he knowes in telling of our words All in his hands words wisedome workes and arts And euery power which influence affords He knowes what we will speake what we will doe And how our mindes and actions will goe verse 17 18 The wisedome which I haue is heauens gift The knowledge which I haue is Gods reward Both presents my fore-warned sences lift And of my preseruation had regard This teaches me to know this to be wise Knowledge is wits and wit is knowledge guise Now know I how the world was first created How euery motion of the aire was framed How man was made the diuells pride abated How times beginning midst and end was named now know I time times chāge times date times sho And when the seasons come and when they goe verse 19 20
I know the chaunging courses of the yeares And the diuision of all differing climes The situation of the stars and spheres The flowing tides and the flow-ebbing times I know that euery yeare hath his foure courses I know that euery course hath seuerall forces I know that nature is in euery thing Beasts furious winds rough men wicked are whose thoghts their scurge whose deeds their iugmēts sling Whose words and works their perill and their care I know that euery plant hath difference I know that euery roote hath influence verse 21 True knowledge have I got in knowing truth True wisedome purchased in wisest wit A knowledge fitting age wit fitting youth Which makes me yong though olde with gaine of it True knowledge haue I and true wisedomes store True hap true hope what wish what wold I more Known things I needs must know sith not vnknown My care is knowledge she doth heare for me All secrets know I more because not showne My wisedome secret is and her I see Knowledge hath taught me how to heare knowne causes Wisedome hath taught me secrecies applauses verse 22 23 Knowledge and wisedome knowne in wisest things Is reasons mate discretions centinell More then a trine of ioyes from vertues springs More then one vnion yet in vnion dwell One for to guide the spring sommer the other One haruests nurse the other winters mother Foure mounts and foure high mounters all foure one One holy vnion one begotten life One manifolde affection yet alone All one in peaces rest all none in strife Sure stable without care hauing all power Not hurtfull doing good as one all foure This peacefull army of foure knitted soules verse 24 Is marching vnto peaces endles warre Their weapons are discretions written roules Their quarrell loue and amitie their iarre Wisedome director is captaine and guide All other take their places side by side Wisedome deuides the conflict of her peace Into foure squadrons of foure mutuall loues Each bent to war and neuer meanes to cease Her wings of shot her disputation moues Shee warres vnseene and pacifies vnseene Shee is wars victory yet peaces Queene verse 25 Shee is the martiall trumpet of alarmes And yet the quiet rest in peaces night Shee guideth martiall troupes she honours armes Yet ioyns she fight with peace and peace with fight Shee is the breath of Gods and heauens power Yet peaces nurse in being peaces flower A flowing in of that which ebbeth out An ebbing out of that which floweth in Presumption she doth hate in being stout Humilitie though poore her fauours win Shee is the influence of heauens flow No filth doth follow her where ere shee goe verse 26 Shee is that spring which neuer hath an ebbe That siluer-coloured brooke which hath no mud That loome which weaues and neuer cuts the webbe That tree which growes and neuer leaues to bud Shee constant is vnconstancie her foe Shee doth not flow and ebbe nor come and goe Phoebus doth weepe when watrie cloudes approach Shee keeps her brightnes euerlastingly Phoebe when Phoebus shines forsakes nights coach Hir day is night and day immortally The vndefiled mirrour of renowne The image of Gods power her vertues crowne verse 27 28 Discretion knowledge wit and reasons skill All foure are places in one only grace They wisedome are obedient to her will All foure are one one in all foures place And wisedome being one she can do all Sith one hath foure all subiect to one call Her selfe remaining selfe the world renewes Renewing ages with perpetuall youth Entring into the soules which death pursues Making thē Gods friends which were frends to truth If wisedome doth not harbour in thy minde God loues thee not and that thy soule shall finde For how canst thou be lead without thy light verse 29 30 How can thy eyles soule direct her way If wanting her which guides thy steps aright Thy steps from night into a path of day More beautifull then is the eye of heau'n Guilding her selfe with her selfe-changing steau'n The stars are twinckling handmaides to the moone Both moone and stars handmaids to wisdomes sunne These shine at middest night this at mid-noone Each new begins their light when each hath done Pale-mantled night followes red mantled day Vice followes both but to her owne decay Chapter VIII verse 1 WHo is the Empresse of the worlds confine The Monarchesle of the foure cornerd earth The Princesse of the seas life without fine Commixer of delight with sorowes mirth What soueraigne is shee which euer raignes Which Queene-like gouerns al yet none cōstrains Wisedome ó flie my spirit with that word Wisedome ó lodge my spirit in that name Fly soule vnto the mansion of her lord Although thy wings be findged in her flame Tell her my blacknes doth admire her beautie I le marie her in loue serue her in dutie verse 2 If marry her God is my father God Christ is my brother Angells are my kin The earth my dowrie heauen my aboade My rule the world my life without my sin Shee is the daughter of immortall Ioue My wife in heart in thought in soule in loue Happy for euer hee that thought in hart Happy for euer he that heart in thought Happy the soule of both which beares both part Happy that loue which thoght har◠soule hath sought The name of loue is happiest for I loue her Soule heart and thoughts loues agents are to proue her verse 3 Ye parents that would haue your children rulde Here may they be instructed rulde and taught Ye children that would haue your parents schoolde Feeding their wanton thirst with follies draught See here the schoole of discipline erected See here how yong and old are both corrected Children this is the Mistris of your blisse Your schoolemistris reformer of your liues Parents you that do speake thinke do amisse Here 's she which loues and lifes direction giues She teacheth that which God knowes to be true She chuseth that which God would chuse for you verse 4 What is our birth poore naked needy cold What is our life poore as our birth hath beene What is our age forlorne in being old What is our end as our beginnings scene Our birth our life our age our end is poore what birth what life what age what end hath more Made rich it is with vanities vaine show If wanting wisedome it is follies game Or like a bended or vnbended bow Ill fortunes scoffe it is good fortunes shame If wisedome be the riches of thy minde Then can thy fortune see not seeing blinde verse 5 6 Then if good fortune doth begin thy state Ill fortune cannot end what she begins Thy fate at first will still remaine thy fate Thy conduct vnto ioyes not vnto sins If thou the bridegroome art wisedome the bride Ill fortune cannot swimme against thy tide Thou marrying her dost marry more than she Thy portion is not faculties but blisse Thou needst not teaching for she teacheth thee Nor no reformer she thy mistris
makes When heau'n it selfe cannot such honour gaine Nor Angells know the counsell which God takes Yet if thy heart be wisedomes mansion Thy soule shall gaine thy hearts made mention verse 18 Who can in one dayes space make two dayes toile Or who in two dayes space will spend but one The one doth keepe his meane in ouerbroyle The other vnder meane because alone Say what is man without his spirit swayes him Say what 's the spirit if the man decayes him An ill reformed breath a life a hell A going out worse than a comming in For wisedome is the bodies centinell Set to guard life which else would-fall in sin Shee doth correct and loue swayes and preserues Teaches and fauours rules and yet obserues Chapter X. verse 1 COrrection followes loue loue followes hate For loue in hate is hate in too much loue So chastisment is preseruations mate Instructing and preseruing those we prooue So wisedome first corrects then fauoureth But fortune fauours first then wauereth First the first father of this earthly world First man first father cal'd for after time Vnfashioned and like a heape was hurl'd Form'd and reform'd by wisedome out of slime By nature ill reform'd by wisedome purer Shee mortall life she better lifes procurer verse 2 3 Alas what was he but a clod of clay What euer was he but an ashâ—e caske By wisedome clothed in his best array If better may bee best to choose a taske One gaue him time to liue she power to raigne Making two powers one one power twaine But ó maligne ill boading wickednes Like bursting gulfes orewhelming veâ—tues seed Too furious wrath forsaking happines Loosing ten thousand ioyes with one dire deede Cain could see but follie strucke him blinde To kill his brother in a raging minde verse 4 Oh too vnhappy stroke to end two liues Vnhappy actor in deaths tragedy Murdring a brother whose name murder giues Whose staying action slaughters butcherie A weeping part had earth in that same play For she did weepe herselfe to death that day Water distill'd from millions of her eyes Vpon the long dride carcasse of her time Her watrie conduites were the weeping skies Which made her wombe an ouerflowing clime Wisedome preseru'd it which preserues all good And taught it how to make an arke of wood verse 5 Oh that one borde should saue so many liues Vpon the worlds huge billow-tossing sea T was not the borde t was wisedome which suruiues Wisedome that arke that boord that fence that bay The world was made a water-rowling waue But wisedome better hopes assurance gaue And when pale malice did aduance her flagge Vpon the raging standard of despight Fiends soueraigne sins mistrâ—s and hells hagge Dunne Plutoes Lady empresse of the night Wisedome from whom immortall ioy begun Preseru'd the righteous as her faultlesse sonne verse 6 The wicked perished but they suruiu'd The wicked were ensnar'd they were preseru'd One kept in ioy the one of ioy depriu'd One feeding fed the other feeding steru'd The foode which wisedome giues is nourishment The foode which malice giues is languishment One feeds the other feeds but choking feedes Two contraries in meat two differing meats This brings forth hate and this repentance seeds This war this peace this battails this retreats And that example may be truely tride These liu'd in Sodomes fire the other dide verse 7 The land will beare me witnes they are dead Which for their sakes beare nothing else but death The witnes of it selfe with vices fed A smoaky testimony of sins breath This is my witnes my certificate And this is my sinne weeping sociate My pen will scarce holde inke to write these woes These woes the blotted inkie lines of sin My paper wrincles at my sorrowes showes And like that land will bring no haruest in Had Lots vnfaithfull wife beene without fault My fresh-inkt pen had neuer calld her salt verse 8 But now my quill the tel-tale of all moanes Is sauory bent to aggrauate salt teares And wets my paper with salt-water groanes Making me stick in agonising feares My paper now is growne to billowes might Sometimes I stay my pen sometimes I write O foolish pilate I blind-harted guide Can I not see the clifts but rent my barke Must I needs hoist vp sailes gainst winde and tide And leaue my soule behinde my wisedomes arke Well may I be the glasse of my disgrace And set my sin in other sinners place verse 9 10 But why despaire I heere comes wisedomes grace Whose hope doth lead me vnto better hap Whose presence doth direct my fore-run race Because I serue her as my beauties map Lâ—ke Cain I shall be restored to heau'n From shipwracks perill to a quiet hau'n When that by Cains hand Abel was slaine His brother Abel brother to his ire Then Cain fled to fly destructions paine Gods heauie wrath against his blouds desire But being fetcht againe by wisedomes power Had pardon for his deed loue for his lower verse 11 By his repentance he remission had And relaxation from the clogge of sin His painefull labour labours riches made His labouring paine did plesures profit win T was wisedome wisedome made him to repent And newly plac'd him in his olde content His body which was once destructions caue Blacke murders teritorie mischiefes house By her these wicked fins were made his slaue And she become his bride his wife his spouse Enriching him which was too rich before Too rich in vice in happynes too poore Maegera which did rule within his breast verse 12 And kept foule Lernas fen within his minde Both now displease him which once pleasde him best Now murdring murder with his being kinde These which were once his frends are now his foes Whose practise he retorts with wisedomes blowes Yee still lie they in ambush for his soule But he more wiser keepes a wiser way They see him and they barke snarle grin and houle But wisedome guides his steps he cannot stray By whom he coÌ„quers and throgh whom he knows The feare of God is stronger then his foes verse 13 14 When man was clad in vices liuery And solde as bondman vnto sins commaund Shee shee forsooke him not for infamie But free'd him from his harts imprisoned band And when he lay in dungeon of despight Shee interlinde his griefe with her delight Though seruile shee with him shee was content The prison was her lodge as wel as his Till she the scepter of the world had lent To glad his fortune to augment his blisse To punish false accusers of true deeds And raise in him immortall glories seeds verse 15 Say shall wee call her wisedome by her name Or new inuent a nominating stile Reciting ancient worth to make new fame Or new-old hierarchie from honours file Say shall file out fame for vertues store And giue a name not thought nor heard before Then should wee make her two where now but one Then should we make her common to each tongue Wisedome shall be her name
forst to lie One here one there in prison yet vnbound Heart-striuing life and death to liue and die Nor were they ignorant of fates decree In being tolde before what they should bee verse 20 There falsest visions shewde the truest cause False because fantasies true because haps For dreames though kindled by sleep-idle pause Sometime true indices of dangers claps As well doth proue in these sin-sleeping lines That dreames are falsest shewes and truest signes By this time death had longer pilgrimage And was encaged in more liuing breasts Now euery ship had fleeting anchorage Both good and bad were punisht with vnrests But yet Gods heauie plague indur'd not long For anger quencht her selfe with her selfe wrong verse 21 Not so for heat can neuer coole with heat Nor colde can warme a colde nor ice thaw ice Anger is fire and fire is angers meat Then how can anger coole her hot deuice The sunne doth thaw the ice with melting harme Ice cannot coole the sunne which makes it warme It was celestiall fire terrestriall cold It was celestiall colde terrestriall fire A true and holy praier which is bolde To coole the heat of angers hot desire Pronounced by a seruant of thy word To ease the miseries which wraths afford verse 22 Weapons and wit are double linkes of force If one vnknit they both haue weaker strength The longer be the chaine the longer corse If measurde by duplicitie of length If weapons faile wit is the better part Wit failing weapons haue the weaker hart Praier is weake in strength yet strong in wit And can do more then strength in being wise Thy word ô Lord is wisdome and in it Doth lie more force then forces can surprize Man did not ouercome his foes with armes But with thy word which conquers greater harms verse 23 That word it was with which the world was framde The heauens made mortalitie ordain'd That word it was with which all men were namde In which one word there are all words containde The breath of God the life of mortall state The enimie to vice the foe to hate When death prest downe the sin-dead-liuing soules And draw'd the curtaine of their seeing day This word was vertues shield and deaths controules Which shielded those which neuer went astray For when the dead did die and end in sin The liuing had assurance to begin verse 24 Are all these deeds accomplisht in one word O soueraigne word cheefe of all words and deeds O salue of safrie wisdomes strongest sword Both food and hunger which both starues and feeds Food vnto life because of liuing power Hunger to those whome death and sins deuoure For they which liu'd were those which vertue lou'd And those which vertue lou'd did loue to liue Thrice happy these whom no destruction mou'd Shee present there which loue and life did giue They bore the mottoes of eternall fame On diapasans of their fathers name verse 25 Here death did change his pale to purple hue Blushing against the nature of his face To see such bright aspects such splendent view Such heau'nly paradice of earthly grace And hid with lifes quick force his ebon dart Within the crannies of his meagre hart Descending to the place from whence he came With rich-stor'd chariot of fresh bleeding wounds Sore-greeued bodies from a soules-sick name Sore-greeued soules in bodies-sin-sick sounds Death was afraide to stay where life should be For they are foes and cannot well agree Chapter XIX verse 1 2 AVant destroier with thy hungry iawes Thy thirsty heart thy longing ashie bones The righteous liue they be not in thy lawes Nor subiects to thy deepe oppressing mones Let it suffice that we haue seene thy show And tasted but the shadow of thy woe Yet stay and bring thy empty car againe More ashie vessells do attend thy pace More passengers expect thy comming waine More groaning pilgrimes long to see thy face Wrath now attends the passage of misdeeds And thou shalt still be stor'd with soules that bleeds verse 3 Some lie halfe dead while others dig their graues With weake-forst teares to moyst a long-drie ground But teares on teares in time will make whole waues To bury sin with ouerwhelming sound Their eies for mattocks serue their teares for spades And they them selues are sextons by their trades What is their fee lament their paiment woe Their labour waile their practise miserie And can their conscience serue to labour so Yes yes because it helpeth villanie Though eies did stand in teares and teares in eyes They did another folishnes deuise verse 4 5 So that what praier did sin did vndoe And what the eies did win the heart did loose Whom vertue reconcilde vice did forgoe Whom vertue did forgoe that vice did choose Oh had their hearts beene iust eyes had bin winners Their eyes were iust but hearts new sins beginners They digd true graues with eyes but not with hearts Repentance in their face vice in their thought Their deluing eies did take the Sextons partes The heart vndid the labour which eies wrought A new strange death was portion for their toyle While vertue sate as iudge to end the broyle verse 6 Had tongue bin ioynde with eies tong had not strai'd Had eyes bin ioyn'd to heart heart then had seene But oh in wanting eye-sight it betrai'd The dungeon of misdeeds where it had beene So many liuing in this orbe of woe Haue heau'd-vp eyes but yet their hearts are low This chaunge of sin did make a chaunge of feature A new strange death a misery vntoulde A new reforme of every olde-new creature New seruing offices which time made olde New liuing vertue from an olde dead sin Which ends in ill what doth in good begin verse 7 When death did reape the haruest of despight The wicked eares of sin and mischiefes seed Filling the mansion of eternall night With heauy-leaden clods of sinfull breed Life sowde the plants of immortalitie To welcome olde-made new felicity The clouds the gloomy curtaines of the aire Drawne and redrawne with the foure-winged winds Made all of borrowed vapours darkesome faire Did ouershade their tents which vertue findes The red seas deepe was made a drie trod way Without impediment or stop or stay verse 8 9 The thirsty windes with ouertoyling puffes Did drinke the ruddy-oceans water drie Tearing the Zones hot-cold whole-ragged ruffes With ruffling conflicts in the field of skie So that drie earth did take wet waters place With sandy mantle and hard grounded face That way which neuer was a way before Is now a troden path which was vntrod Through which the people went as on a shoare Defended by the stretcht-out arme of God Praising his wondrous workes his mighty hand Making the land of sea the sea of land verse 10 That breast where anger slept is mercies bed That breast where mercy wakes is angers caue When mercie liues then Nemesis is dead And one for eithers coarse makes others graue Hate furrowes vp a graue to bury loue