might know O that from heauens hye shee would descend the earth belowe And me with pleasaunt words instruct as erst I did her heare A valley long there lay betwene two hils that bounded neare A narrow path there was that shewes the trauayling wight his way This path I toke and straight I saw two shepheardes there that lay In grasse full grene agaynst the banke who bagges and bottels downe with crab tre staues wher w t they walkd desirous of renowne Began to striue who best could sing but iudge they lacked than Whose sentence shuld the strife appease and prayse the siner man As sone as they me present spyde they both me calde vnto And wild me for to syt them by and iudge who best could do Then one of them when that he had wyth oten musicke played His staring eyes on heauen cast and on thys sort he sayd O floure fayre of Dardany of Joue beloued o childe That seruest the gods wyth frothing cup of pleasaunt Nectar milde Come downe from hie now froÌ„ y e Skies a fayrer far than thee In earth remayns that vnto Joue cupbearer now shall be Him Jupiter despising thee shall take from hence and place Among the starres from enuy burst O thou in wretched case Yeld vp for griefe thy wofull goste but rather not departe Thou shalt wyth wines the Gods salnte and I enioy my harte Philetus deare wythout whose sight no kinde of thing is swete To me no not my life to haue wythout his presence mete As oft as him on horsbacke swift the Gote or Hart to chace The Fayries spie wyth loue they burnt and wysh that louely face Wyth thousand kisses for to mete as many giftes wythall And floured garlands trim him giue contending best who shall And apples fayre in baskets bring and grapes of pleasannt tast O that neglecting to be pleasd in him were not so plast O that this liuelie Impe would shewe himself alwayes at hand To ease the wretched louers griefe then hapiest should I stand No man in all the world my mate but he doth cleane despise My plaints and faithful louers sutes and hates my dolefull cries And as the shaft from bowe departes so from me fast he flies But flye not from me thus nor hate me so Philetus deare I am no cruell Canniball wherby thou shouldest me feare But worthy to be loued I am perchaunce if thou me knowe For though vpon my body rough the hoary haires they growe And though from chin with locks vnkeÌ„pt my griesly beard doth fall I am not yet yll fauoured sure for beard and bristels all Be decent eke and mete they be for fyghting folkes and strong Let maydly men haue tender skinnes the sheapheardes all among In richesse none doth me excell of beast I lacke no store A thousand kine my pasture feedes of swine full fyfty score Amongst my groue of Okes they runne my kine wyth calues do sway My lusty gotes wyth kid they swell ne want I whigge nor whay Fresh cheese and olde inough I haue take what thou likest away All mine is thine and I thine owne though cruel thou denny If thou me louedst and wouldst thy selfe somtyme come sit me by I would thee pleasaunt apples get that hangs on braunches hie wyth golden sydes like yellow waxe and red as strawberies die I would thy lap wyth fylberts fyll and nuts of diuers kinde How oft how oft mine armes should I about thy myddle winde Two thousand kisses would I giue those rosey lippes of thine Dout not swete boy but walk with me by cleared spring so fine we both wyll rest and gratefull sleepe wyth hausing armes wyll take Alurde wyth shade of hushing trees and noyse that riuers make while Greshops in the heat do chirp alas and dost thou now Despise both me and all my giftes that here to thee I vow Do not my wofull teares thee moue nor all that I can say More fiercer far than Tiger stout whose whelp is tane away More deafe than pictures made of Parus Marble stone And harder eke than are agayne the mountaynes euery chone Of Alpes hie and Diamond strong what doth thy beauty good If all men so thou dost despise wyth fierce and cruell moode And slayest the soules of woful wightes whose heartes thine owne be tride Thus wise her selfe in floures fayre the dreadfull Snake doth hide And thus wyth poyson hony myxt lay downe dis 〈…〉 asyde A monster vile and vnto God is auncient e 〈…〉 y pryde Nor be not thou wyth grace begilde or forme of fading hewe For beauty lasts but little time like flower fresh and newe Full fayre at fyrst is gone in tyme while flouring age doth last while tender skinne in face doth shine let not in vayne be past Such happy tymes but vse the giftes now graunted vnto thee While tyme doth serue for euery thing by vse commended be The tyme shall come when this thy chin wyth bristled beard beset Shall vggly seeme and eke thy face shall riueled wrinkles fret And when thy golden lockes shal tourne to ghastly gresild heares To late then shalt thou fodle bewayle the losse of youthfull yeares And oft thy selfe shalt say where is my beauty olde now gone Where is my colour fresh become both red and white in one Uayne hope alas of this thy face then shalt thou sore lament Thy chaunged cheekes and face so foule thy selfe when represent Thou shalt thy glasse perceyue but why thus waste I winde in vayne What meane I thus in barren soyle to let my seedes remayne Unhappy wretch in vayne I toyle my destnies will me so O cruell destenies that now so sore agaynst me go And chiefly now when wretched loue hath pearst my wofull hart Of greater force is lucke in loue than all the swelling part Of richesse great or noble bloud to destnies vertue â—hrall By luck in loue the prince despisde and John obtaines the ball But though more fiercer thou remainst than fearfull raging drake Or doste my loue no more esteme than weedes in fenny lake Yet thee sweete hart I serue and thee for euer shall I loue And nothing shall thee from my minde Philetus deare remoue This sayd he held his peace and thus this other gan to say Mellina passing floure of wheat and whiter farre away Than frothing fome of raging seas or Allablastar stone And boyled milke more red than are the Cherries euery one When ripe they hang or Mulbry frute while yet no blacke they weare More fayre than trees in time of spring when braunches blossomes beare More sweete than are the withred figges or wines that new be made Such lippes such brest or eyes I thinke dame Uenus neuer had What should I here commend her thies or places there that lie Such partes in practise put than speake with better will would I. Not onely here of mortall men her prayse Mellina gaynes But Gods her loue I saw my selfe a Satire take the paynes To hunt her once and when he
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
Vatis Sunt in maternos quae tibi versa sonos Omnia quae pulchrè Musisque fauentibus ipse Scripsisti Vatum munere digna sacro To the right Honorable Sir William Cecill Knighte principall Secretary to the Queenes highnesse Maister of her Maiesties Courte of Wardes and Liuereyes THe fauorable accepting of my simple trauayles lately dedicated vnto your honor hath so much boldened and thorowelye encouraged me that mawgre the despite of most reprochfull tongs I haue not feared to finish the course of my long pretended race with no lesse profite as I trust vnto a number than paynefull trauayle vnto myselfe Wherin if I had knowen at the firste as much as since I haue perfectly vnderstode neyther had I as then taken vpon me so great an enterprise nor since so rudely finished the translation of so eloquent a Poet. For when I fyrste began to employ some part of my leysure aboute it making dilligente inquirie I coulde learne of no man that euer had attempted to english the same So that perceyuing my labour to be no hindraunce to any other mans prayse and lamenting to see so Christian a writer to lie hyd and vnknowen to the ignoraunt sorte I thought I should not do amisse if al that in me lay I bestowed in the albeit simple and slender yet faythfull and true translation of so vertuous a worke But since I haue certaynely vnderstoode that when I firste began to fall in hand wythall three bookes thereof were both eloquentely and excellently englished by Master Smith clark vnto the moste honorable of the Queenes Maiesties counsell Whose doings as in other matters I haue wyth admiration behelde so in thys I am well assured I should with an amased minde haue sene I woulde that eyther I had latelier begonne it or else that he had fallen in hand sooner with it wherby my grosse homely style might haue bene no hindrance to the fruites of so pure a penne But since it was my fortune so blindely to venture vpon it I truste my trauayle shall neuer the more be enuied I could not when I had long debated y e matter with my selfe finde out a Poet more meete for the teaching of a Christian life an estate in these oure dayes most miserably decayed than this no lesse learned than famous ItalioÌ„ Marcellus Pallingenius a man of such excellent learning and Godly life that neither y e vnquietnesse of his time Italie in those dayes raging wyth most cruell bloudy warres ne yet the furious tyranny of the Antichristian Prelate vnder whose ambicious and Tirannicall gouernaunce he continually liued coulde once amase the Muse or hinder the zealous and vertuous spirit of so Christian a Souldiour I haue many times much mused wyth my selfe howe liuing in so daungerous a place he durst take vpon him so boldely to controll the corrupte and vnchristian liues of the whole Colledge of contemptuous Cardinalles the vngracious ouerseeings of bloudthyrsty Bishops the Panchplying practises of pelting Priours the manifold madnesse of mischeuous Monkes wyth the filthy fraternitie of flattering Friers Which surely he durst neuer haue done but onely that he was heartened wyth a happy and heauenly spirite Which notable audacitie of his was wonderfully reuenged by the malicious hands of such as felt themselues fretted with his spiritual corsey For when they had not power to execute their tyrannie vpon his innocent body in time of his life their mischieuous malice was no whit ashamed to consume with fyre the blamelesse bones of so vertuous a man yea and that a great while after his death Besides the reprouing of the leud liues of the Clergie he boldly inueyed agaynst the gracelesse gouernance of proud pompous Princes y e licencious liuing of the riottous nobilitie the couetous catchings of greedy Lawyers the vngodly gaynes of foolish Physitians and the corrupted consciences of deceytfâ—â— Artificers affirming playnly that if they did not better beautify their christian names with a more christiaÌ„ life of so many thousands as haue in vaine receued that most holy sacrament of sacred Baptisme there should scarce three aspire vnto the enheritaunce of Heauenly ioyes What doth your honor suppose this man would haue written Unto how great a volume doe you thinke his works would haue amouÌ„ted if so that GOD had appoynted him to florish at this preseÌ„t time in England wheras pitifully raigneth such moÌ„strous horrible pride such cancred and spiteful malice such false fayned freÌ„dships such lack of loue and charity such professing of God in words denying him in works as doubtlesse is not to be fouÌ„d among the faythlesse Turks miscreant SarazeÌ„s or supersticious Jewes Better were it in my fansy not at al to profes his name thaÌ„ thus with diuelish life to make it be euill spoken of amongst the heathen The Prophet Esay 52. saith Vae vobis propter quos nomeÌ„ meum malè audit apud gentes Vae qui consurgitis c. Esay 5. It is not our christendome assuredly that liuing so vnlike Christians shall bring vs to Heauen as S. Chrisostome in these wordes doth wytnesse Sin vero ne tibi quidem ipse luce as ne propriam putredinem foetoremque detergas quibus te indicijs ego fidelem In Cap. 1. Mat. Ho 4 potero agnoscere an quia sacrati aquas fontis ingressus es at hoc ipsuÌ„ fit tibi grauioris viatticuÌ„ supplicij I would therfore wish that we should not to much presume of the securitie obtayned by a Christian name but that we should wyth al our endeuour apply our selues to shew such fruits as duetie requireth in the followers of Christe Whereby we shoulde not onely preuayle agaynst our enimies and stoppe the mouthes of our slaunderous aduersaries but also enioy a blessed and happy tranquility in this worlde and be assured to obtayne the promised pleasures in the worlde to come For the teachinge whereof I know no man that hath so much trauayled and perfectly profyted as hath this Poet which I here present vnto your honor about whom although I haue lately ken some paynes not enioying all the while so quiet a minde as had bene nedefull for such a labour nor hauing the familiar conference of any studious frends whereby in some doubtes I might better haue bene resolued I am well assured I shall receyue for reward the reprechfull reports of a number of infamous tongs as by the publishing of my first attempts I haue bene sufficiently taught What remedie If this my trauayle shall finde fauoure at the handes of youre honoure and others of perfectnesse in iudgement I doe little esteeme the fonde surmisings of the scornefull company nor the rashe reporte of so fonde a fellowship aduising them rather to proue the lyke laboure than hawetyly to reproue any well meaning minde I haue longer here continued my Barbarous style than reason doth allowe wherefore ceassing for auoyding of tediousnesse wyth so vnperfecte an ende I moste humbly beseechs your honoure to take in
dresse Thou liftest men from base estate to honours them to call Without thy grace the wit of man would perish sone and fall His voyce and al would ware full horce nothing would swetely sound All swete and pleasaunt melody would fal vnto the ground And if thou wilte me fauour nowe I wyll ascend the Skies And there thy hie and Godly workes contemplate with mine eyes Oh fauour me thou Phebus hie take thou from ground away Thy Poet prostrate here on earth if that by fates I may And you O Nimphes of Castaly if wyth vnfayned harte I haue approcht your learned dores if riottes fylthy arte Could not w tdraw my youthful yeares from honoring of your name Ne fylthy lust of beastlinesse coulde euer me defame Then let my fame go flye abrode least that vnworthyly I shal be after thought to liue and so my name shal dye For hope of glory and renowne a man for to obtayne Hath caused men in vertuousnesse to take both care and payne And thou O famous worthy Prince that Hercule hast to name Amongs the doughty Italian Dukes of most renowned fame And of the hie Estensian bloud the chiefe illuster floure Whom Pallas in Parnafus caues hath nourisht euery houre Whome Muses nine wyth sacred milke from tender yeres haue fed Whereby a fame they hope to haue that neuer shall be deade Of Cyrrha eke the Laurell tree shall spring they trust agayne Though Mars doth let in spite of them and seeketh to retayne Your noble heart into his tentes by al the meanes he may In tents where honour you shal haue that neuer shall decay Wheras your armes as right requires shall richly decked be With triumphes due to such a Prince of lusty Laurell tree Drawe nere and wyth a ioyful face thy Poete loke vpon Willing to treade vnproued pathes that haue not yet bene gone And shewe-thy fauour to a wight that nowe abashed is So may Ferrarra see thee long in perfect ioy and blis Till after this thy ioyfull life a long and happy time Departing from the earth thou shalt the starry heauen clime And if my Fatal yeares be long in time shal come the day When as your grace and worthy dedes I shal at large display When Indie aye with Tartesse brinkes thy name shall cause to sound Thy fame shall flye in euery place of Hiperbores ground In vtter partes of Africke to you shall be knowen by me Then I wyth greater rage of Muse encouraged shall be And shal declare vnto al men how that you do embrace Justice and eke what Godlinesse and fayth is in your grace What counsayle doth in you abound what valeant worthy powre How liberall with gentlenesse you are at euery howre By me shall also wonder much the world in euery place To see what wyt and manners mylde consisteth in your grace But now the things that I you giue receiue wyth gentle harte And take my present doing here a while as in good parte My minde desyreth sore to wryte of much and diuers things And not alwayes to stay at one but as the sprite me brings I go now here now there I swimme amid the waters deepe Sometime I tosse the boistrous waues sometyme to shore I creepe And though sometimes by reasons rule I shall assay to finde The secret wayes by nature hyd and bring them vnto minde Those things yet will I follow most whereby a profyt shall Aryse and adde a holy life to men that be mortal A life alas now banisht cleane if I the truth may say In this our age than which a worse was neuer seene the day Such things I say that shall expel the vices of the minde A thing that more the Muses fyttes than this I can not finde This makes a man for to be sound of witte both prompt and fine Although by nature he be dull and do no whitte decline Ungodly and neglecting right that horedome doth not spare Or on whome earthly auarice hath caused for to care Or he whome enuy in his hearte doth euermore possesse Unconstant or a lying man or takes in drinke excesse In fine what euer vice he hath by this he may forsake The hurtful harmes of peruerse mind a Godly life to take This worthy men doth cause to be and fyt for honours hie Which to themselues their house and realme can councel prudently And vnto doubtful things they can bring present remedy So much the face of beauty fayre ought not estemed to be The pleasaunt eyes with shining locks eche parte of royall blee As maners wel composed and a pure and honest minde Where vertue beares so great a stroke that vice is harde to finde Doth not the righteous man or he that vertues much doth loue Liue al in myrth and hopes for helpe of only God aboue He nothing cares whē whispring worde◠be closely spoke in eare When iudge or King doth for him cal his heart doth nothing feare Contrarywise the wicked man defamed feares to be And when the lightnings thūder rores then gilty trembleth he If men doe chaunce in eares to rounde or whisper when they walke Alas then cries he to himselfe of me these men do talke What shal I do the Judge or King doth cal and shall I goe Or rather flie the perils great of wretched life now loe By fyxed law of GOD doth feare the wicked men torment And though sometime the euil man to myrth doth seeme as bent As Strongilos amyd the seas yet doth he boyle within Or Etna when his flaming dartes Pyrackmon doth begin But were it better to declare with thousand shippes assaylde The cursed chaunce of Pergamus that folishly bewaylde The periurde chaunce of Sinons deede or else Ogiges towne Which by the cruel chaunce of warre was raced cleane adowne Or shal I prayse as Poetes wont some man wyth forging lyes And iudge a colour fayre to be contrary to mine eyes Or were it better here to fayne how Dedalus did flie The woful hap of Icarus that fell out of the Skie The bodies oft transfourmed aye of Gods and eke of men And so delude the ydle eares with trifles of my pen Or had I better to declare the wanton toyes of youth And slaunder Gods wyth prophane acts which is a greater ruth For what do these our frantick heads now feare at any houre The Gods we say with lecherous luste both boyes and maydes defloure A hore in heauens hie to be a lechoure to they say O shame is this a Godlinesse or right to vse such way Are these the thankes we owe to God be these our odoures swete Be these the duties that we owe or prayses for him meete What thing will now the witte of man forbeare to fayne or lye By meanes whereof they may obtayne in sinne a liberty Of writers vayne both leud and yll O rude vnruly route You nede to take Elleborus to pourge your humours out To you I speake that others harme whose tongs do spare no man If lightning
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
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
slepe content More lightly then his rest he takes and better sleepes doth breede But vnto troubled mindes it is a comfort greate in deede And much it is to be desired when loue the hart doth payne When sicknesse greues or when y t man doth heauy chaunce sustayne Then is it more to be estemed than golde or precious stone As death so sleepe doth make the wretch and happy man as one But he whome nature hath endewed wyth long and happy dayes That doth desire expert to be in euery kinde of wayes By vertue eke a famous name in earth for to obtayne Must watche for famous things by sleepe none are perfourmed plaine And for to sleepe in feathers soft renowne doth eft refuse Shun thou this same with al thy might thy selfe to watching vse For O what times of quiet length shall fares permit to thee When last of all the night shall come and day shall banisht bee And breath hath left y e quiuering ioints lyke ayre that fleting flyes With long and euerlasting sleepe then shalt thou shut thine eyes While as the goddesse thus did speake discended downe from hye Thaumantis lo when suÌ„ne doth shine that glisters in the skye With diuers hew that shewes her face amydde the misty cloude wyth ruddy rosye purple lippes thus gan she speake aloude God spede thee goddesse here on earth Panomphes gem most deare Arete chiefe of goddesses as doth to me appeare Come on thy wayes for all the gods desyreth now to see Leaue thou the earth earthly raignes where dwellers yll they bee Here is no place for ghostly men all wycked crimes here raigne Religion none no fayth nor grace but vertue in disdaine Here foolishe fondenesse holdes y e balle imperiall Scepter aye Fraude and disceyt all men amongste is vsed here alwaye Go to therefore in hast as now breake of thy tale begunne Let lett es be losed with lyke course let vs to heauen runne Arete than beholding mee these wordes began to say I cannot now as faine I woulde all things to thee display But when the day againe repayres and night away shall slyde To thee shall I sende one be gladde to tell thee all besyde Farewel therefore wyth these words gaine warde the skyes they spring The westerne wynde did them receiue and vpwarde fast them bring Lyke as when wicked Scilla flyes her father following fast Aloft by little vp she hyes and he gan after hast Wyth gredy minde through the ayre he sores both here and there Desiring much to wreke the fault of cutting of hys haire She striues her selfe in cloudes to hyde and mounteth out of sight And Nisus thether perceth fast that both be out of lyght Adowne the floudes doth sunne discend and forth the starres they shinde And I the way that grey berd led full sadly then declinde And home I come my promist ioyes in heauy hope to finde Cancer the fourth Booke _â—SuÌ„ne that with perpetual course about the worlde doest flye The parent chief of euery thing and dyamonde of the skye The Prince of all the Starres spring of euerlasting light Beholding euery thing abroade whyle as with colour bright Of crimsyn hew thou leauest aloofe the brinkes of Persean lande With rising face and passing forth doest hyde thy fyerie brand Amydde the westerne fluddes and laste of all doste burne the hyll Of Calpe great and eke that course frequentest alwayes styll By thee doe all things plaine appeare whose colour late the night Bereft hir darkenesse by no meanes abyding ones thy lyght The syght and eye of all the worlde who partes in foure the yeare And changest times with the time all things engendred heare while as by croked line thou runste in lyuely pictured spheare O starre deuine and of the gods o fairest God all hail We worship thee and from the hart wher neuer trothe doth quail Our prayers here we make to thee behold vs now therfore With ioyfull face and ioyful day with ioy thy self restore Disperse the cloudes from hence and let the day be bright and cleare Let seas lay downe their roring lokes straight when thou doste apeare Let shipmen safe frequent their course vpon the waters plaine Defend the corne the trees and vines from pouring shoures of raine And froÌ„ the boystrous whirlwind mad and stormy stones of hail Let pleasaunt aires on vs be blown from fiery Pyros vail And make all thinges by thy returne in quiet rest remayn O chief defence and Poets ayde all hail to thee agayn Thou fillest the mindes of Poets all with sacred holy sprite And mouest the heades of euery one with sugred verse to wryte By thee they gain the laurel leafe and euerlasting fame Al hayle therfore and help me now my singing verse to frame And succoure these my fyrst attemptes direct my course withall Til vnto long desired port my bote and I may crall Thus whylste at castale sprynges on knees my humble sute declarde The muses all about me plaste the God my prayers hard From towers of Delphos hie he heard and straight as semde to me The steple beâ—â— and therewythal a shining light I see From out the Chauncell came and eke a wonderous voyce I heare Which wyth these words as then me thought resounded in mine eare O yong man voyd of blysse and whom such destnies dire do payne That spendst thy lyfe with bitter yeares pull vp thy hart agayne For pacient payne doth ouercome and in thafflicted case The valeant ought for to despise the fawning fortunes face For fortune then doth most preuayle when that she is restraynde Doest thou not see whome fortune oft had fully once disdaynde The same wyth changed hand she ayds and lyfteth vp on hye Now this now that nothing endures beneath the heauens skye when glouming weather foule is gone then pleasaunt dayes ensewe At length the swelling seas be caulme that erste the windes so blewe when winters season sharp departes apears the floured spring Fix sure thy minde therefore as nowe and faynt not in the thing That bytter seemes prepare thy selfe for better destenies The tyme shall come the starres aboue altring their course in skies If death before thee not destroy when this thy present name That now doth lye both drownde hyd shall gayne immortall fame For I my selfe wyll present be and eke my learned route The Sisters nine in euery place shall stand thee round about And take thee from the common sort and cause thy name to lyue For euermore This aunsweare here to me did Phebus gyue So praying But scarce can I the Gods beleue such things of me Under so crabde aspect of starres I know my byrth to be So sore the heauens do me vexe but yet from thence I go wyth ioyfull heart I wander forth alone and alwayes so These wordes in minde I muse O Lord that hap might be That God or man I might now meete as promisd late to me Arete for to send to teach that I the rest
the sacred natures hest Which wold the bred shuld brede agayn which made such ioyful rest In wedlock bed thee not to feare but rather to allure Why wilt thou nature thus withstande no hurt in Venus lure There is if hir thou lawful vse with meane and not excesse But to much vsde she strength abates and drownes the valiantnesse Destroyes the wit and shortneth life Now must we here display dame Venus soÌ„ne whose force doth cause both man and God obay Who brond withal and quiuered shafts makes all the world afrayd To whome though yet a boy and blind hath euery thing obayd That earth or sea did euer breede or heauens hie contayne O Lord what rage of flames and fyre in euery place to rayne This boy hath causd what force haste y e O quiuered Cupide now No strength thy power may once resist thy conquest makes to bow Both beast and Man and Gods aboue with dartes of thine alone His heart through pearcd full oft hath made the thuÌ„dring God to grone And diuers shapes on him to take hys lightning laide a syde And region left of starry skyes on wretched soile to slide Hath not disdainde sometime the forme of Egle swift to beare Sometime a bull with frowuing face sometimes a shepheards cheare On him to put sometime to seme a snake and now and than With flames to come in Satirs shape now golde now like a swan Neptunus also once ychanged to fluddes of Enepey While he poore wretch thy dart did feele with Salmonide he lay And oft a Dolphin would he seeme a Ram or Horse to be With all the seas he coulde not quenche the flames that burnte by thee In breast so blinde and heart of him a tale to long it were Like actes of all the Gods to shewe to thee in order here How Phebus did a hauke become and eke a Lion kende Or call to minde the woode attemptes of raging Tartares fende But vaine it is so time to spende for if I should expounde The Lordes and Ladies euerychone whom cruell loue did wounde My tale woulde runne to much at large and downe before woulde hide His glistring beames syr Titan bright the smoking wheeles should slide Amid the washing westerne waues But here I thinke it best Such things to haue sith many men haue plainely them exprest And now the truth we will declare this boy did neuer flow From Bacchus raines as Grece did faine no sure if it were so Eche man that hateth wine should loue but destny him begot Bicause in euery kinde of loue this destny knittes the knot All morttall things this desteny rules she doth to all bestow Conditions eke with fortune to and ende of lyfe doth know Of greater force than beauty is this desteny assurde Though beauty cause of burning flame hath louers linckes procurde Of greater might than golde it is though once with golde did bye Olde Saturnes sonne inclosde in towers with Danae faire to lie Familier syght and licence had full oft to talke and liue Togither both when none shall see which sliding way doth giue By which to loue we in doe come by which is Venus got All this can nothing sure preuaile if destnies fauour not By destny ioinde by destny broke the louers knot and ring By this the vile deformed slaue sometimes obtaines the thing Which rich nor faire can haue by this the faire and gentle wyfe Is of hir husbande eft despisde and more contentes his lyfe A ragged iade in house to kepe By this the wife disdaines Hir husbande faire of gentle bloud and greater ioy sustaines A lither lousy lout to haue or vnaquainted wight And if so be that loue were not by Gods aduisement right To euery man appointed here by limittes parted iust No doubt of all might one be loued and on them all should lust And euery man might safe enioy the Damsel that he likes But as the fisher doth not take the fishes all in dikes Nor foulers all the birdes do catch nor hunters all doe kill But euery one his chance doth take obtaines and hath his will So loue to euery one is delt by Gods arbitrement So doth the seruant base full oft his Lady well content So shall the bursten bleared lout and crooked father olde A blissefull girle to wyfe obtaine For as the Marchant bolde That vnderneth vnhappy starre with wares his ship doth freight And cuts the fearefull fouring seas is often spoilde of weight By loste of ship or Pirates fierce so he that flames wyth loue The starres luck agaynst him both doth seke the rockes to moue An euil name and cruel wound receyueth he agayne And efâ—e his loue to get doth he the losse of lyfe sustayne But he whome destnies fauour wel and fortune smiles vpon His heart and ioy may sone obtayne wyth quiet rest anon But sure of fewe this grace is had so good are Gods to fewe Except such one as close doth kepe his ioyes that none them knowe No trust there is at al in man disceytes are vsed vile Now euery man doth practise howe his fellow to beguile If any man vnto his frende his secretes doth disclose Then must he stande in feare of him least he his frendship lose Least he in angry moode reueale that erst in harte he hydes If free therefore thou sekest to be and safe to liue besydes Let no man knowe thy secrete deedes thy frend haue alwayes so While frendship lasts that thou foresee he once may be thy foe Which thing in profe hath eft ben knowen for fewe such frendes we see That alwayes loue and much herein ought enuy fearde to be Which euer striues the happy chaunce wyth poyson fell to stayne Take heede therfore of enuy syrs I warne you louers playne Let no man know thy minde in loue but hide this loue of thine If witte thou hast and let not thou thy fyer forth to shine A monster vile is enuy sure a plague that rageth fel A deadly hurt than which a worse is hard to finde in Hel. It hunteth vertue in euery place good dedes asunder teares Good men she hates and doth disdayne the happes of others yeares Although no man can well kepe close his owne vnfayned loue If Fates agaynst him let and nyll the enuious lightes aboue Smal force in wit of man there is where Goddes do not agree In vayne he toyles that seeketh ought when Gods against him be Yet ought we not for this to leaue our willes and wittes to strayne For he that hath the race forth runne and palme cannot obtayne Is worthy prayse and enuy all vpon the Goddes he layes Who often good men downe haue put and fooles exaiting rayse A happy man is he to whome from tower of heauens grace Is graunted whoÌ„ God guides himself whose byrth with lucky face The happy starres haue shinde vpon to him coÌ„mes ioyful loue And voyd of woe long swetenesse he wyth pleasant life may proue For loue is daynty swete and milde if
destnye cause not payne Whose dartes the man that neuer felt doth senslesse styll remayne What beast might euer yet be found that felt not Cupides flame All creatures vile and base we see haue tasted of the same God willing so Wherfore who seekes this loue a thing deuine He seekes for if the king and Lorde of all the world should not All things created here retaine in loues assured knot The world should straight be at an end and the elements decay That eche man loues he keepes and it defendeth eke alway But no man seekes the thing to kepe that he sets nothing by Wherfore the order of all things shall last continually For euerlasting is the loue of God that all doth guide Though all things made do fal and fade the kindes yet neuer stide For those the blessed God doth loue but not the bodies so Wherof the cruell death hath power for no man suffreth tho The thing he loues to perishe quite if he can it defende But who denies God all thing can and he can them defende But be the bodies doth not loue wherefore he lettes them die But not the kindes he so permits from their estate to 〈◊〉 What doth the potter care if thys or that hys pot be burst Turning the wheele and chalke in hand despiseth now the first A newer sort of them he makes now ouer all this same The skye the grounde the seas and aire and raging fiers flame And eke in fine the worlde it selfe by loues enduring knot So many yeares doth stande and last for if thys loue were not The elaments altogither would with bursten bondes go fyght Nor downe to earth the Heauens would shewe forth theyr blissefull light And beames so warme no seede shoulde growe and eke the fiery flame This aire his neighbor would coÌ„sume he would but out of frame His shoures on earth y t aire put downe full bare would seeme eche soile The seas should quench the 〈…〉 er quite or rather fyre boyle And waste away the fyshy seas As once when Phaeton rulde not wel the fyry foming beasts I dreading sore the monsters hie his owne good fathers heastes Beleeuing not vnhappy wretch was drownd in his desyre Then al the world therewith began to burne with blasing fyre Tyll he by force of lightning smytte came tumbling headlong downe And in the flouds his flames did quench Loue breedes in euery towne Assured peace peace worthiest is of al things here we see In time of peace do al things growe and al things liuely be Then liue men safe in safety â—ke the trauayling wight he stands And takes his iourney voyd of harme and scapes the robbers handes Then buzzing Bees in hiues be kept by good aduise and care And beastes in pastures fat are fed the ground is torne wyth share And yeldeth farre encrease in tyme then plenty beares the sway In bread and mylke and noppy drinke then euery where they play The sounding shaume doth theÌ„ prouoke to daunce the Thiase round But idiotes none do enuy peace and couet Martiall ground Such times did flow when Saturn ruld his Empire here alone O worthy age more worth than Gold but now O griefe to mone All things doth discorde vile disturbe wyth raged mocion mad And filles and feareth euery place wyth broyling tumult sad Nowe fierce we forced are to be all lawes wyth sworde to slake The furies al of hel they swarme a thousand brondes they shake A thousand snakes wythal and moue the proud hie minded Kings And common people mad to be what good to you it brings O wretches mad your death to haste wyth battes and bylbowe blade To late when as she neuer commes but mischefe this hath made That plaguy pride and hunger mad dominion for to haue O dust what makes thee proud to be whose stinking guttes in graue The filthy wormes anone shall teare why sekest thou for golde Thinkste thou for euer here to lyue O wretch O wretch bi hold How vaine how short how fleeteth sone dur life before thine eyes A graue anone shall close contayne thy bones and shall sufficâ— And if so be that loue should knitte the heartes of men in one This would not be for euery man his frend would tend vpon And all men for their partes would ayde the frend that they holde deare Assuredly nothing more good nor sweater doth appeare Than truly while we here do liue of many loued to be A safe defence are alwayes frends agaynst aduersity The mind in deubtful things they ease and helpers seke to be Thy cares and losse they lighten much they wepe and wayle wyth thee But seldome perisheth the man that thus is rich in friendes When fortune laughes vpon thy lucke and happy chaunce thee sendes Wyth thee thy profyts they embrace wyth thee they ioyful bee Wyth frendship they thy haps increase and feast in mirth wyth thee Who list therefore to leade his life in safety and in ioy Great store of frends for to retayne let him his care employ By many meanes this thing is got which as I can I shall Declare but now to know is nedefull fyrst of all Which loue the people call of minde a motion for to be For wel to wyl it is the same that men call loue we see The mind alwayes it selfe desyres the good thing for to proue And seekes the euill for to shunne these 〈◊〉 alone her moue These two therfore the causes be and loues assured ground But good in three deuided is wherof one parte is found Delighting for to be the other honest eke appeares The third vtilitie So likewise yll in three we parte fyrst hurtfull we esteme The second vile deformed is the third doth greuous seme Who so that loues refusing these or else desiring those He loues loue diuers is like as the spring from whence it flowes Not worthy praysed like to be nor worthy like disprayse Nor only differ three foresayd in generall kinde alwayes But diuers speciall kindes himself doth eche of these contayne Which kindes when as they diuers be make diuers loues agayne What so euer aydes that profit is but is not yet as one Much goods vpon the body wayght and much the soule vpon Strength beauty health actiuity these foure the body oweth These things whatsoeuer creature giues from them the profit floweth Two goods agayne the soule contaynes as maners milde and Arte Like as the soule hath vertues two the will to whome the parte Of maners all belong and minde to whome the truth to know It proper is and from the mind like diuers goods do flow The learnings nine this minde adourn which Poets Muses call Equivalent to circles nine that roule aboue vs all The wyll doth diuers goods possesse of which these foure excell Wit iustice eke and vertue strong that conquers troubles fell With her that bridleth eke our mindes and modesty doth bring From these as from the fountayne first do al the other spring Which whosoeuer seekes to know
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
tymes of olde He knewe me straight for oft he had hys mothers hestes me tolde And when eche other greted was he much things asked of me And after brought me to a towne of hugest quantitie The loftye walles of Diamonde strong were raysed hye and framde The bulwarks built of Carbuncle that all as fiery flamde O Lorde what gorgeous houses there and goodly syghtes I saw As Temples fayre and Theaters and streetes and seares of lawe Al framed of syluer gold and stone and more of goodly kinde I there beheld but cannot now beare al away in minde And though I could remembre al yet God doth not allowe That coÌ„mon peoples heads shuld know the state of all and how I wondred at the number great that through the city so Al clad in white by thousands thick amyd the streates to go Their heads beset wyth garlands fayre in hand the Lillies white They ioyful beare Menarchus guyde of Cynthyus kingdome bright Remembring oft w t Himnes they syng and swete agreing layes Menarchus name they oft rehearse Menarch wyth Psalme they prayse Menarchus name did Eccho lowde resounding oft send out He vanquished in happy fielde th' Arcadian giants stout As then Timalphes tolde to me wyth wordes that were not vayne Once was quoth he Arcadia voyd of hylles and al lay playne There dreadful giants kingdome held as Maenalos the hye And Pholoe and Lyceus great that ioyed in woods to lye And Erymanth whose shoulders bare the backes of sauage swine Cyllenes eke that boylde wyth spyte agaynst the powers diuine Who fyrst before the rest presuming al of force and might Durst giue ill language to the Moone wyth wordes of canckred spite That they before hir long were borne and of more noble race And so that they deserue the names of Gods and higher place Besydes in rage a towre they built amyd the skies to looke O Nemroth larger farre than thine and wyth an yron hooke Attempted thrice from place to pluck this Goddesse where she standes Bloud red for feare to see hir selfe so nere to wretches hands Menarchus gaue them thrice repulse wyth valeant force and might And thrice the iuice out prest from gras of olde Saturnus spright Among them â—ast the poyson runnes straight wayes through al their bones Wyth chyâ—ling colde consumed w t payn they leaue their liues at once And vggly soules they cleane forsake which hel below receaues Wher as with paynes they plagued are that neuer after leaues But now their bodies quite destroyde by force of venome late Their carcasse turnde to lofty hilles kepes name wyth chaunged state Whereby this deede and triumph great in minde the Moone men heare And celebrate wyth solemne pompe this feast from yeare to yeare And to their king they worship make with great and ioyful cheare Thus passing forth we found a tower that all of Gold did shine Al wrought set wyth precious stones of sundry colours fine Here quoth my guyde no mortal man may euer set his feete We stayde therfore and by the space of large and ample streete On euery syde we might beholde approching soules at hand And there before the seate and place of iudgement for to stand Which placed was agaynst the towre and wrought right cunningly Three sonnes of Ioue and fayth begot syt there in seaâ—es ful hye To iudge the soules regarding wel of al their sinnes the store And vertuous deedes that euery man hath done in earth before Telescopus and Dorophon Philorthus frend alway To iustice these desertes and faultes in perfect balance way And by their iudgements very fewe to heauen did ascend But thousands of the same agayne to earth did downe descend And many also in the Moone they did commaund to stay Astonished long wyth gasyng syght at length I gan to say Declare to me good guyde quoth I if Hell beneath doth lye In deepest dongeon of the earth and to the Center nye And soules thereto conueyde they say the corse clapt vnder hearce Olde Aeacus and Minos there and Radamanthus fearce Do euer iudge and giue rewardes or else deserued payne How chaunceth it I here beholde the like thing done agayne Mannes mind quoth he in pryson dark of carcasse shut doth lye And forced by fault and ignorance is led by wayes awry By this is man to dreames and toyes of nature prone and bent And from the truth he wanders farre if grace do not preuent No maruel thoe if many things your Poets false haue song Bycause to treade the steppes of truth lies not in euery tong But thou haue alwayes well in minde these mysteries I tell All things are good and neuer fade aboue the Moone that dwell Nor griefe can vexe those sacred states But all that nature framed beneath the Moone is nought and ill And lawe seuere of death doth feele and force of time to spyll These places doth the middle spheare of Moone in twaine deuide Placde equally betwixt the worlde doth boundes to heauen bide Thus when that lyfe is fledde all soules are brought vnto thys place And here pleade gilty or vngilty before the iudges face By whose awarde to certaine roomes according to their deedes They straight are sent receiuing there for their desertes their meedes And euery one the henyer they with heapes of vice are made The deeper they descende the pyt of darke infernall shade Agayne the better that they be and farther of from crime So much they higher mounting vp more nye the heauens clime But they whose ylles do counterpease the vertues of their minde For to remaine about the Moonâ— are many yeares assinde Tyl eyther falling fresh to vice when many yeares are spent They turne to earth or purged wel are into heauen sent Loe thus he sayd But then agayne what is the cause quoth I That soules so fewe the starres approch and gayne the heauens hie Why runne they hedlong so to vice and Misers vertue flye Why more esteme they dark than light and rather synne to apply Than vertue pure where of to them doth so great madnesse rise What will so fond doth them beguile what fansy bleares their eyes Then aunswered thus Aretes sonne both I do it desire And mete it is that I disclose the things thou dost require And many other things besyde which thou thy selfe shalt say Are worthy to be learned here and to be borne away Since here wythout the power of God I know thou canst not come Who list such things to thee to shewe before the gates of whome No man aliue may once approch except by him assinde Then now giue eare and what I say beare wel away in minde But nedeful fyrst it is for vs a little hence to walke We went and in a lofty tower we both syt downe to talke From whence both seas land ful plain we might beholde and see Then thus from sacred brest this voice he vttred out to me As of them selues the soules can not be yll nor bent to synne Since
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
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
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
do moue in no such rate No more doth Moone nor Mercury nor Venus pleasaunt Starre But moue in little Circles that to them annexed are Why sparckles not Saturne and Ioue and Mars as doth the Sunne Syth farther far from vs in Spheares aloft more hye they runne Nor differ they in difference great from fixed Starres aboue Bycause they do not as the Sunne about their Centers moue But in these Epicycles rolle their bodyes rounde about Some man perchaunte if so the Sunne doth sparckle standes in doubt But if he shall the same beholde when first it doth appeare Or when in Winter time it falles and settes in waters cleare When as his eye may beste endure his syght thereon to cast He shall perceyue it playne to turne and eke to sparkle fast Let no man thinke this thing to be so greate and strange to minde If all the gorgeous Starres do moue in such a sorte and kinde Seemes it not farre more wonderfull that Heauens compasse wide Wyth such a motion swift about the world doth alwayes glyde That Byrdes and windes lightnings flash in swiftnesse it doth passe Thus now th' almighty Lord by whom the world created was All things he made deuided in these two mouing and rest But in the Center rest vpon the earth hir place possest In all the others motion dwelles The streames do swiftly flye The ayre and fyry flames on earth do moue continually But chiefly in the firmament hath mouing greatest spright And euery Spheare the higher it is doth moue wyth greater might And swiftlier runnes about the world Wherefore that Heauen hie That called is the mouer fyrst with motion most doth flie But that the greatest motion is that in the time most small Doth soonest runne his course about the greatest space of all Thus would it runne about the worlde in twinckling of an eye But that the other Spheares do let that vnder him do lye Restrayning it of course so swifte least that in turning round The Seas with it it should conuay and all the earthy ground For then no kinde of creature coulde leade here his life in them O matter to be wondred at who is not mazed when He wayeth with himselfe in minde so great a quantitie So farre to passe in so short time and backe agayne to flye And neuer for to ceasse this course and labour none to feele Hereby do some beleue that Gods the worlde about do wheele Of them to euery Circle is a mouer strong assignde Who like as they that are condemned in bakehouse for to grinde May neuer ceasse from turning round the Skies both day and night Nor though he would can once haue time to rest his wery spright Now surely happy is that God that serueth in the same But these are toyes and fansies fond of such as seeke for fame What store of fonde Foolosophers and such as hunte for prayse The earth brings forth it is not good to credit all he sayes Though great his estimation be in mouthes of many men Though many Keames of Paper he hath scribled with his pen. For famous men do oftentimes make great and famous lies And often men do mysse the truth though they be neuer so wise Therefore must reason first be sought for in such doubtfull things More credit reason ought to haue than mennes ymaginings For such are often proued false What thing doth reason say That Skies or Starres are moued of Gods or of their proper i way What honour great what kinde of ioy what pleasure can there be Unto these Gods that turne about the Skies continually That they for life of foolish man may needefull things prouide And that the Birdes and sauage beasts and Fyshes they may guide Becoms it Lordes in such a sorte their seruants here to serue And Gods for euer to be thrall that they may beastes preserue That they may foster Foles Knaues is it not rather meete For Gods to enioy their liberty and pleasaunt freedome sweete That they may wher they list go walk least as in fetters tyed They can not passe from place to place but styll at home abyde Or as the potters plying styll the wheele and lumpe of clay Can haue no time of quiet rest nor steppe from place away Seemes it so sweete asporte to them the compasse round to moue Or can this laboure neuer grieue the Gods that syt aboue O sentence worthy to be markde of graue and witty men But reason bars them this and cryes contrary quite to them For nothing is eternall here but only God alone And after him continuall be the Natures euerychone Of things that he of nothing made But yet by sure decree That otherwise they cannot shewe than they appoynted be By him when first he framd the world so styll continuall shall The waters soft the ster hote the earth a sted fast ball So shal the ayre for euer moue so of necessity The circles of the Heanens round shal turne continually So force and fashion euery herbe deliured doth retayne And euery tree and euery beast that neuer time can stayne As long as vnremouing state of nature doth endure As long as chaungeth not the wyll of GOD diuine and pure Wherefore if thus continuall be the course of Heauens bright It must be naturall as shewes in wayghty things and light For what of nature propre is doth neuer feele decay But if another moue the same in time it falles away For no such state of violence doth last continually Haue heauy things light more force than state of Starres and Skie That they can moue of propre strength and these can not do so Except of Gods they caused be about in course to go Then is the earth and fier farre more noble than the Skie At least for this bycause they neede no helpe of mouer by But of themselues from Center they or can to Center flie Wherefore we must beleue that these celestiall states aboue Of proper force and of their formes as fyer and earth do moue For nature is of greater might than mouer any one This nature onely God excelles and him except alone No better thing than nature is nor in the worlde more hie I nature call the fixed law of him that guides the Skie Which frō the worldes foundation first to all things he assured And wyllde that it should stand in force while age of worlde endured For this same lawe hath God vnto the formes of things assignde That when from thence do things procede formes wel fulfil Gods minde He can they once this order breake for of their formes do spring Such things as he commaunded hath who framde eche formed thing This true and proper nature is of higher state agayne Then matter or forme as some haue taught for certainly these twayne Are rather springs of eury thing or causes first aboue Or framers first not nature sure if truest names we loue Except we haue a better wyll false names to giue such things But of this same
enough we haue now strike we other strings And whither that the stately roonies of Heauen empty be Or whither any dwellers there haue place and souraintie The present time doth me persuade in wonted verse to syng Syth Heauen is so vast and wyde and such a gorgeous thing All garnisht round with glistring Starres so bright and fayre to th'eys Shall only voyd and empty it and vnreplemsht lye And earth and seas such dwellers haue or is the seas or ground A place more pleasaunt fayre and good or more in compasse found Than all the Skie by which they more than Skies deserue to holde Such store of creatures fayre shapes and fashions sundry folde Is it a parte of prudent Prince to builde a pallace wyde With golde and Marble beautified throughout on eury syde And not saue stable to permit there any man to lie And furnish out such goodly roomes and sumpteous buildings hie For Earth is stable to all the worlde wherein all filth doth bide Dust dyrt dung bones and carton and lothsome thingê beside Who can at any time rehearse the heapes of things vncleane That on the seas and earth appeare and euer shall be seene Who knoweth not the showrs y e mists the cloudes and flakes of snowe The force of windes rage of stormes that on the seas do blowe That shakes the earth moues y e ayre Yet playnly may we see The Seas and Earth with sundry sortê of creatures full to bee Shall then y e heauens cleare be thought as voyd and empty made O rather voyd and empty mindes that thus your selues persuade For creatures doth the Skies containe and eury Starre beside Be heauenly townes seates of sainctê where Kings and Commons bide But perfect Kings and people eke all things are perfect there Not shapes shaddowes vain of things as we haue present here Which death sone takes time destroyes defiles and driues away There wise and happy folkes and suche as neuer do decay Do liue here misers dwell and men that certayne are to dye And doltish fooles There peace light and pleasure chiefe doth lye Here dayly warres and darknesse blind and eury kinde of payne Go now and prayse this world take delight in life so vayne Presume thou foole than Heauens faire the earth to set more by But some may doubt if that more stroÌ„g than Diamond be the Skye And empty place is none therein how Gods there dwelling be And mouing there this semeth sure with reason not t' agree Besydes since that the Heauens bright can not with plowe be torne Nor digd with spade how there shal vines and nedefull graine be borne These are but toyes laughing stockê for though the Skies be harde Yet passage haue the dwellers there nothing their course hath barde For vnto these celestiall states the Maiesty deuine Appoynted slendrest bodies hath of substance light and fine So that no neede of dores they haue nor yet of windowes wide For through the thickest walles they run and through the Marbels slide So pure and fine their nature is and of so strong a might Who if so be they neuer had bene subiect to his sight Would thincke that fish in flouds shuld bee and frogs in slime to breede And Salamander liue by fire of ayre Chamelions feede And Greshops nourished with deawe yet true this same we see And we confesse them wonderfull for many things there be Which though we think can not be doÌ„e yet can and oft are done Why could not God then creatures make that through y e earth shuld run And of no meate nor drinke haue neede if he so could he did Fond were it such a space to builde and leaue vnfurnished But Heaueners haue no neede w t plow and spade for foode to striue Since that their bodies are not such as foode doth keepe aliue Nor Gods do euer suffer thyrst nor Sainctê an hungred be In fine they neuer greeued are with lack or pouertie Bicause beyond the Moone there dwellê no kinde of dolefull case For eury kind of mischefe God vpon the earth did place And in the miost did them enclose forbydding them the Skie O happy such as leade their liues thus in those places hie That Nectar drinke styll fed with foode of sweete Ambrosia greene Whereof in those Celestaill meades abundance great is seene More happy and better is the life of such as dwell aboue The hier they in Heauen haue their place to rest and moue For places such as in the Skies are hier in degree More blessed are and better farre than those that lower bee What are the blackish spotê that in the Moone we may beholde For of these same men diuersly their fansies oft haue tolde Nought of it selfe doth shine in Skies saue onely Phaebus cleare Of him the Moone receauê hir light and Starres that glister there Who for bicauâ—e she is the last of all the Starres on hie And lowest parte of Heauen keepes vnto the earth most nie Shee needes must darkest be of all whereby sith eury side Shee hath not white nor thick nor pure nor mee e where light may bide For whitest partê and thick and light sunbeames at night receaue The other partê that are not apt the same doth lightlesse leaue Thus in the night the Moone doth shine but when the day giues light Much lyke in shewe to spotted cloude in Skie shee waxeth white So Gloewormes in the night do shine but when the day returnê By light they lose their light agayne that in the euening burnê And then their propre colour shewe all fraude and guile away â—he night is meetest for deceytê true things appeare by day Now if the world eternall be or if in time begonne It doth abyde a finall ende when many yeares are done Is worthy to be vnderstoode For of this question hie Haue diuers wisemen written bookes he sayth he doth deny And authours fansies differing the thing doth doubtfull try And that the troth in secrete plighte all dark doth hydden lye Some thinke that it beginning had and that the world did spring Of matter that for euer lastê and force of mightiest king When as before it had no state and say that these same twayne Continued alwayes haue and shal for euermore remayne Matter and the almighty Lorde from whence all things doe floe Some think the world of nothing made and those deny also That any matter was before but by the word and wyll Of God all made But others say so moude by reasons skyll That neuer it beginning had nor neuer shall haue ende Of these whose sentence truest is sure I shuld condiscend But that Religion me forbyds and Christians that defend The doctrine olde of Moyses bookes to credit none beside But that the world hath alwayes bene and alwayes shal abide For why might not this world haue ben for euer here to fore Bicause he could not do it tyll time had taught him knowledge more And then at length he
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
wordes hee should coÌ„mit his facultie to fame Which should be rather folly calde and not a facultie But in the state diuine of God and glorious maiestie We must beleeue is nothing vayne since Godliest is the same Thus God what so euer he could doe assurely did frame Least that his vertue were in vayne and euer should lye hyd But since he could make endlesse things it must be thought he dyd And all his power there in employed so that there did remaine In him no kinde of power or force that ydle were or vayne But learned Aristotle sayth there can no body be But that it must of boundes consist to this do I agree Bicause aboue the Skies no kinde of body we do place But light most pure of body voyd such light as doth deface And farre excel our shining Sunne such light as comprehend Our eyes can not and endlesse light that God doth from him send Wherein togither with their King the sprites that are more hie Do dwell the meaner sorte beneath in Skies do alwayes lie Therfore the raygne and portion of the world consists in three Celestiall Subcelestiall which with limits compast be The rest no bounds may comprehend which bright aboue the Skie Doth shine with light most wonderfull But here will some replie That without body is no light and so by this denie That light can neuer thoe be found aboue the heauens hie But at vs vaynly doth he barke in vaine he doth contend For reason doth my words approue and veritie defend I pray thee shew what is the cause that here the Sunne doth shine Bicause his matter giues him light or rather forme deuine That doth so great a globe contayne for forme and fashion gay To all things state of being giues as Naturesearchers say With whome we also do agree this same doth playnly showe That Forme not Matter makes y e suâ— to shine From Forme doth flowe All kinde of force and comelinesse And if so greate a light Assigned be to bodyly Formes why should we in this plight Deny that incorporeall states may any light contayne Since that more pure and fine they are and fayrer farre agayne Wherefore the sprites and ghosts aboue do shine with wondrous light Although it can not be discernde of our corrupted sight So that among these Saincts the more their state and powre is hie With brighter beauty much they shew and greater maiestie No golde no pearls nor precious stones nor pompe of purple gowne Doth them as it doth vs set out but light is their renowne And as the Sunne amongst the starres doth shine with goodliest light So shines among the Saincts aboue the LORD of greatest might And neuer darkneth them a whit but makes them all to shine Such is the goodnesse of his grace and maiestie deuine But here perchaunce he wyll obiect that in the ayre doth lye No ground of light and since no ayre there is aboue the Skye He wyll deny that there is light But now he lies agayne For ayre is not the ground of light nor as some fondly fayne Is light in ayre but contrary the ayre in light doth dwell If reason what not Aristotle doth say he marketh well For if without the dores fast shut a candle burneth bright Or by some clift the fier shine in house all voyde of light And some there with the ayre about the beame with striking shakes The ayre is forced to passe the light but light no mouing makes And if the ayre were ground of light then with one motion so Both ayre and light should moued be and both togither goe Beside if that in time of night a man with Torch in hand Should passe y t light doth places chauÌ„ge but ayre doth quiet stand Which if to light it subiect were it should continually Go wander place by place with light and styll keepe company But now this same is nothing so but doth contrary proue For light doth passe when aire doth stay and styll with torch doth moue Wherby it appeares that light doth not the ayre as subiect neede But well may stand and well wy 〈…〉 the vse of ayre procéede Especially the light of God whereof a parte doth passe Into our sunne and there is kepâ— contaynde as in a Glasse For as within his propre spheare that vnder Moone doth lye No fier can discerned be by force of any eye But if that any matter chaunce to kindle with the same Then Starres do fall and firy streams in Sommer nights do flame And other sights that feare the mindes of men in dreadfull wise So as it is the light of God can not be seene with eyes But fixed in the Sunne it shines bycause the matter cleare Whereof the Sunne is made is fitte and apt for light t' appeare For God hath framde it in such sorte as there his light may byde And shine creating day and life and goodly things beside That light doth also shine in shapes of sundry sacred sprites Though not alike to all as Starres shine not with equall lights But some more bright than others be as they are set before And as a candle can giue light to many candels more And yet doth neyther lose nor lesse his beauty burning bright So light of God decreasing not to other Saincts giues light But some perchauÌ„ce will here demauÌ„de and doubtfull question finde If that besides this light that I declarde of endlesse kinde Doth any other thing consist without the world so great Though this be neyther meete nor fitte for mortall men t' entreat Yet wyll I proue to passe the path wherein no Poet yet That hath bene hither to before might euer set his feete And wyll attempt to bring to light the treasures hie in place Of God if he be pleasde and helpe with his accustomed grace First must we grauÌ„t that God is spring and Father â—ke of all Who made all things and best chiefe him may we truly call Therefore where so euer GOD abides his glory there is found And euery good and gorgeous sight doth in that place abound And thus what so euer good the earth the seas or ayre contaynes All this is séene in place whereas the LORD almighty raygnes And though no matter be in such yet iudge not thou therfore They being lacke for perfecter and fayrer they be more than things that are of matter made For forme that can it selfe sustayne wythout this matters hand Is perfecter than that which voyd of matter cannot stand Therefore all voyd of matter there things perfect are and pure And in despite of fretting age and force of fate endure And store of goodly things are there that in this worldly light GOD hath not made from which procéedes great ioyes Saincts delight Such ioyes as tong of mortall man can neuer full define Such ioyes as neuer can decay with space of any time These incorporeal formes were known to minde of Plato hie Although the enuious sorte do scorne his bookes full bytterly But
eury man doth not aspire these mysteries to knowe A fewe them finde to whome the LORD aboue doth fauour showe And giues to them his light that they these things may playne beholde In fine there sprites and Angels are as many thousand folde As all the woods contayne in leaues or all the shores in sand Or all the Fishes in the seas or sâ—arres in Skie that stand Yea number none can them containe for since that GOD could frame Them numberlesse he sure so dyd the more to spread his name Especially since that the world doth voyd of li 〈…〉 s lye As is before declared playne and reason strong doth trye But since they voyd of body be and Matter all away Therfore they neuer chaunge in tyme nor age doth them decay No greese they feele nor sleeps nor foode at any time they craue Nor labour knowe but ioyfull youth continually they haue And freedome chiefe no bondage there no seruants in degree Nor none there are that there compels nor none compelled bee One onely Lord they do confesse the King and spring of all Him worship they and him they loue and serue in generall They willingly do him obey and serue in euery thing Reioycing all his laud and prayse and wondrous actes they sing Eche one doth there apply himselfe to please with goodly grace No fighting there no cancred spite nor enuy can haue place Continuall peace there florisheth great loue and concorde great Among them is suspicion none no craft nor false deceat In fine the goodliest parte it is of all the world beside And farre more worthy are the sprites that in this place abyde Than those that in the Skies do dwell and in the Starres do lye For looke as lower euery spheare doth come to earth more nye The meaner sprites it doth conâ—ayne and meaner goods doth giue And so much baser is the same whereby such things as liue Aboue the Skie as they most fayre and good and blessed show So those that in the bowels darke of earth do dwell below Are most ylfauoured vile and yll and there not all in vayne The stinking lakes and soyels of Hell to be did Poets fayne Of Hell where men do after death their paynes for michiefe take And vainely seeke for rest and peace in euer darkned lake But wherfore waste I words in winde and striuing all in vaine Doe seeke vnto such Buzzards blinde the trothe to open plaine So sore the state of mankinde dotes that it will neuer knowe That eyther Gods in Heauen be or sprites in Hell belowe But most men laugh if any man do tell them credibly That after death the soules doe liue and neuer more doe dye Hence springeth it that night and daye they richesse séeke to gaine This is their greatest carke and care their greatest toyle and paine That they in Golde and Jewels maye their neighbours farre excell Golde is the thing that all men seeke in golde their hope doth dwell For thys runnes into raging warres the Captaine stout of minde For thys his Children wyfe and house and countrey left behinde The Marchaunt cutting foming seas in shyp with sayles set out Assayes the blewe and dreadfull gulfes and coastes the worlde about Eche man doth practise craft and thefte this golde to keepe in sight Golde euery man desires and loues golde pleaseth euery wyght Ne feare they any kinde of paynes that after death is due O altogither earthly men else that onely in the viewe FroÌ„ beasts are knoweÌ„ CaÌ„ you nought than golde to knowledge call By which a wyse man from a foole doth differ nought at all Wherewith fonde fortune ill men oft habundantly doth feede Learne you that many things there are that golde doe farre exceede Which vnto fooles and wicked men of God not giuen be These are the vertues Godlinesse iustice and prudencye And wysedome passing farre the rest These goods who doth retaine A mortall God is and the same immortall man agayne That after death shall happy be but he that hath them not And staines himselfe with filthy sinnes when death his shaft hath shot shall headlong into Hell be cast These are not trifles tales or dreames but true and sure they be Yea most assurde beléeue it well you blinde beleeue you me Woe be to you if that you wyll not me herein beleeue For life shall quickly you forsake and then you shall perceyue That I sayd true euen then when as your soules in Hell shall lye You laugh but this your ioy shall chaÌ„ge to teares and greeuous cry The time shall come when many men that now in welthy pride Do beare the sway and scornefully both God and man deride All naked bare in miserie and wretched case shall lye And shall of others ayde require with pyteous wofull crye Wherfore O you that haue delight in good and Godly things Endewed with a better soule whose rootes from heauen springs These earthly Gods that as the cloudes away doe swifely flye Which fortune vnto fooles and knaues doth giue most commonlye And which a fewe yeares ended once doth death take cleane away Regarde not muche nor in such things your heape or treasure laye Seeke you no more than that which is for lyfe sufficient A small thing certes will suffise with little liue content But let your chiefe delight be in the sacred seates on hye Seeke heauenly things w t all your force to this your mindes applye In Heauen are the perfect goods that euermore remaine Which neuer foolishe dolt shall haue nor wicked man obtaine In earth whatsoeuer doth delight are trifles all and toyes Which fooles and beastly people seeke and count as chiefest ioyes For which a thousande hazardes great they rashely vndertake And offring vp their foolishe brestes to death they skirmishe make Of thys they bost the Bytle doth in dong reioyce to lye Things filthy filthy folkes doe loue and villaines villanie Leaue earthly things to earthly minds let swine in durt delight And let your only trauaile be to gaine the heauens bright The goodlyest things doe best become the men of best degree And valiant things most meetest are for them that valiant bee The earth is but a Chery fayre God hath to you assynde The heauens for your countrey swéete your countrey séeke to finde That when from bondes of body thou escaped art and gone And left your fleshe for dogges to féede or wormes to gnawe vpon You there may alwayes happy liue from fleshe vncleane exempt And lame and often weary limmes wherin whylest you were pent Remaining in the vale of teares and in the mortall rayne Both many harmes and sicknesses and griefes you did sustaine For so the earth may called bée which is the stable sure Of all the worlde the mother and the nurse of vice vnpure Wheras the raging Deuill dwels the king of sinfull kinde Wherfore it needefull is that you haue often death in minde And with your selues consider well how nere the dore he standes Still threatning with
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