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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
state of destiny commaundeth to be had God Pluto then tell me quoth I why syâ—ste thou here so sad So sad quoth he doest thou not thinke to great a wrong I byde When you possesse so great a space of heauen large and wyde When as but fewe you are and when scarce three when all is done Or little more in greatest space and tract of tyme do come And I to be enclosde within a kingdome here so small Where out of number mortal men continually do fall The Jewes and al the Turkish broode not all the Christian bend I graunt but sure the greatest parte do here do here descend And hither to my parkes they runne why come they more to me Or why doth not my brother there that Skies doth ouersee These Friers Priests Monks at lest take vp to heauen hye And them in blessed place wyth him preserue continually Is is not shame these men that in the Church so swetely sing And day by day in sacred towers the restlesse bells do ring That spend such store of Franconcense and many Hores relieue That pardon others and can not their owne mysdeedes forgiue That play the parts of paryshe Clerke the Corse to bring to graue And beautify the Church of God with Tombs and Pictures braue Is it not shame these men to sende to Hell with paynes therfore As thirsty Appulia neuer bred of Flyes a greater store Nor once the chiefest Bishops he doth dread or more forbeare But rather wylls that they do feele extreamest torments heere Thus in the deepest pyt of Hel enclosde they lye in chaynes And plaged are aboue the rest with grieuous kinde of paynes Wherfore Cyllenius when thou comste the Starres aboue vnto I pray thee shew my brother there that al things I wyl do With willing minde as he coÌ„maundes But yet in any wise Let him respect my poore estate and kingdome not despise And either take some soules from hence or else make Hel more wyde This sayd I wyll quoth I and then from thence in haste I hied And now to Heauen I retourne nor longer can I stay Forget not me thy client poore go blessed sainct away Thou Muse remembre well to thewe to me thy verses fine For paper lowe at hand and pen and leysure good and tyme Beginne and teache me in what sorte a wyse man should be wrought Fyrst vnderneath a happy starre he must to light be brought That after shall be wyse or blest for greatly matter makes Under what signe or what aspect a man his byrthday takes As they affirme that know the names and force and motions hye Of Starres and cast natiuities and tell the destiny O Lord how great and wonderous doth heauens force appeare Wythout whose help the earth nor seas could euer creature beare The Skye the Occean representes the father here of all And stars the syster Nimphs by name full aptly may we call FroÌ„ whence procedes al good on earth therfore can no man liue As wise and blest whoÌ„ starres in byrth an yll aspect do giue Beside of great effect doth seeme their parents state and kinde Of whome the infant nourced is and who doth guide the minde For as the childe in tender yeares himself at fyrst doth trayne Such custome shal in graâ—er age within his heart remayne Long time that nature doth endure and long in minde doth lye That in our childish age at fyrst our senses did apply Therefore the master needes must be both wyse and learned well That guides the childe and also must to vertue him compell And like the horsman good now here now there must winde and wreste The vntamed head and now with byâ—â—e and now wyth spurre molest Nor only him with words persuade but with examples teache For what if life be contrary auayleth it to preach And fyrst be dilligent to kepe him from the vicious kinde Ill company doth oft corrupt a good and vertuous minde This poyson many hath destroyed wouldst thâ—n be glad to tell The nature iust of any man then marke his fellowes well For lyke to lyke doe euer goe and alwayes shalt thou finde That conuâ—rsant are such as be of one disposed minde Wherfore let both the schoolemaster and parents well beware Least him whom they doe thus instruct the naughty youth doe sâ—are And them with filthy crimes infect alas full sone we all Enclyned are vnto the worse and sone to vice we fall Besydes thys childe that here we â—ayne a wyse man for to make Let him in Greeke and latine bookes his daily trauaile take And giue good wyll and diligence in learning to procede Refusyng al vnhonest bookes let hym good auâ—thors reade For sâ—ldome is the vnlearned good for ignorance doth blinde And darkes with errours commonly the rude vnskilful minde But yet from to much study and toyle let him hys minde refraine Least he proue mad in searching thus thys wysedome to attaine Or fall into some great disease and so himselfe destroy To much of euery thing doth harme and long doth not enioye His sprites sometime to recreate and to refreshe his minde Let him absent him selfe and playe for rest in euery kinde Doth quicknesse bring and play in time doth former force repatre But though eche kindes of learning is both nedefull good and faire Yet chiefe among the rest are those and hyghest place obtaine That teacheth well y e Starres to know and nature opens plaine Let these our wyse men well apply with all hys force and might In grauer age and in these artes let him spende hys delight And therwithall as hath bene sayde the nurture of the minde Well put in vre both iust and good shal be and so shall winde About hys head two Lawrell twistes How goodly a thing is it A man both learned and good to bee to knowe and to haue wit A learned foole is to be fearde lyke as the â—urious braine With sworde in hande so is the learnde in whom doth vice remaine But yet suffyseth not alone the minde for to regarde And wyth good manners good artes to haue it thus preparde When as the state of body here we must not lightly way For if the body be diseased it neuer can obay The hesâ—es of minde y u doth commaund both worthy things and great Wherfore we must our selues apply to feede on holesome meate That may engender purest bloud for hurtfull humour springs Of ouâ—ll meates most commonly and such vnholsome things All dronkennesse must be eschewed and surfets must be fled For these the stomacke ouercharge and much anoye the head And rounde wyth fumes beset the brain by thys doth alwayes come The dull appalled sense and sprytâ— and sleepes of afternoone To exercise the body well in due conuenient time Is great commodity to health and makes the force more fyne By to much sâ—outh doth strength deâ—ay and by to long a rest The synowes faynt and all the lymmes by thys are quite opprest Besyde must colde extreme be shunde
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
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
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
there their courses runne and moystes the hearâ—es so grene No Dragon there nor greedy wolfe might euer yet be seene No Bore no Beare nor Tigre fierce nor Serpent foule there dwels To harme with triple hissing toung with poyson fierce that swels In fine no kinde of beast there is but such as peace hath â—worne The longeard wat the Hart the Buck the Goate with harmelesse horne The middle heauens then almost the flaming Phebus helde When first we saw the gorgeous place whereas thys Lady dwelde Amid the woods an aumple space full of grene herbes we see No tree there grewe but tables rounde in order placed be With deâ—â—ties such as Capna did the oneyde duke prepare Such deinties as they once did eate the sacred shieldes that bare The time is come quod Gresill nowe let vs go drinke and fill Our bellies Strength for to repayre it is the goddesse wyll That none shall passe wyth sober head nor yet with hungred mawe For scotfree here may all men feede thys is the Ladies lawe WheÌ„ meate doth faile her maides do fil the table full againe A pace wee feede and scarce can rise so wetes the wine our braine With doubtfull steps our feete do trede with stackryng stumpes we go More earnestly we then desyre the Queene to come vnto Whom in the fielde we walking finde with mighty mirthfull traine Young lusty guts wyth boyes maides and doting age againe On her right hande a woman goes with pleasant shining face And in her hande a boye she leades from downe whose shoulders place A dreadful quyuer hanges with shafâ—es both cruell sharpe and kene And in his handes a bowe he bare and drewe the string so tene Though blinde he was yet straight hee threwâ— at euery man his darte And fierâ—â—ye to without regarde he perced to the heart The shaft returneth straight againe when wyde the wounde is left The people all incontinent he had of lyfe berefte But that a certaine woman there that pityed much the sore Of Godly zeale vnto these men gan helpe and helth restore For when the wounded brestes she saw whereas the darte went in Of any man and bloud so warme that gushing out did spin Then strayte she runnes her cure vnto and healthfull drinkes him giues Wherby though cruell wound remain the pacient yet he lyues An other woman yet besydes in left hande leades the Queene Whose chaps do alwaies chaw y e cudde her golles they gresy beene Wyth musty dusty lothsome clothes whose stynke doth all anoye And onely to shee doth delight in beastly belly ioye Great tanckards depe she turneth quite the bottoms vpsey downe And in her hande a boy she leades wyth drousy droupyng crowne And winking eies he scarce could wake nor woulde his dame permit With meate drink thus ouerchargâ—e to haue a waking fyt A moyster straunge on her he flyngs heerâ— soundes with wheasing noyse The boxen shalme with stroke y e harpe is forcde to shewe his voice Here Orphens doth bewayle hys wife with tooth of serpent torne The dire decrees of darksome den and labours past and worne And after him both beast and stone by musyck swâ—â—e he drawes To Delphins eke Arion here â—oth swetely syng his sawes With harpe the noble Amphion here doth Thebes walles renewe Declaring here his cruel case by shipmen eke vntâ—ewe And after these with frâ—skyng lâ—gges comes Dauncing all the rest Whose eyes a certaine dymnes darcke had fully then opprest About the heades of euery one their flyes a stincking mist And one amongst them all I knewe that helde this writte in fyst Saâ—danapalus here am I that rulde with princely powre Tâ—assyrians Realme loe thys haue I for that I did deuoure O foolishe wretches whylest you lyue let neuer Joyes so go For after death alas there are no Joyes to come vnto Learne you by mee O mortall men the trewest way to knowe Now last of all two Monsters came amyd the vtterst rowe Wherof the one with diuers tonges these fellowes fowle arayde The other vexed them sore with pricks that griefe their Joye alayde So much the heauens vs do hate reioysing at our yll So farre the Gods aboue doe seme contrary to our wyll And though wyth these aduersities we passe our dayes in payne Yet haue we not one houre to ioy in quiet to remaine If ought we haue it is but short and ioy vnperfect framed O lyfe that doste of ryght deserue erilement to be named Why doth the harmes of mortall men the Goddes aboue delight Why had they rather sad we were than liue in ioyfull plight Whereof did fyrst spring out to vs such mortall hatred fell Wynne thou the gods w t pacient mind in bearing euils well No space we were of any length from this vnrulye game When from the right side of the woode came forth a comely Dame With body fyne and virgins face and sober semely gate Such one as Joue his wife is thought amyd her great estate with haire and bosom torne she runnes to vs in dolefull plight And not to be despysde she was though clothes were base to syght And from her ruddy rosye lyppes these witty wordes did spryng O caytifes whereto pace you thus whereto shall phrensy bring You now stay here set down your fete and leape nor to the snare And hearken to my wordes a whyle that I shall heere declare Fyrst this quod she no goddesse is nor her no goddesse bare As you perchaunce beloue she is to whom as now you goe To tentes of whom you couet now to Joyne your selues vnto But is a dredefull drery sprite deceiuing all that liues Unwares of her deceitfully and gall for honey giues Let not the face deceiue you now that semeth sayre without That glisters aye with shining golde beset with gemmes aboute You know not yet how foule she is within those garments gaye A thousande spots within she hath and castes her men away Deceiude with false defrauding toye as â—ishe their bane come by Whom crafty fysher doth hegyle with reede deceitfully When from the rockes into the floudes he casteth downe his lyne With harmefull baite the hooke so hyd with hastye course they hine And snatche with gredye iawes y e bayte and fast they hang thereby And following fast the twyrling threde theyr daunce full dolefully The quiuering sandes of Libiaes lande we nede not for to flye Ne fearefull Atiphates house ne Scillaes rocke so hye Nor dreadefull drenching Charibdis nor other monster fell So much as ought we pleasure shunne what harmes hereby do dwell In mortall men what townes what realmes what men of worthy fame Hath it destroide I wil be short and one example name Who euer yet Alcides past who durst such deedes assay That slew two serpeÌ„ts foule sometimes in cradle as he lay He tore the tushes from them both and thrust his handes so small In midst their throtes He caused hath Molorchus beast to fall He cut the foule Echydnaes head destroyde the dreadfull drake
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
worthinesse before the rest as in a battayle mayne Lieuetenants are and Captaines stout the rest of common traine These causes chiefe aboue the rest in wondrous sort assignes Thalmighty Lord that guides aboue the Starres the starry sygnes Who lyues in euerlasting lyght aboue the Heauens hye That at hys beck doth cause to turne the motions of the skye To euery cause assigning force and whereto they shall tende With certaine boundes encloseth them the which may none transcende And synce he wysely all things made of force it followe must That euery thyng continuallye keepe course and order iust For things that once are rightly framed and fault doe none receaue Ought not in tract of any times their wonted course to leaue The order thus of euery thing can neuer altred be Bicause thalmighty Lorde hath made all things in iuste degre If then the sprite that guides the earth be naught or worke amisse It is bicause the basest cause and farthest of is this From causer fyrst and lyght remoued a large and ample space And therefore vnto darknesse blynde the nerer hath hys place And onely shadowe shewes of truth which God doth so permit Bicause the state of all the world and order asketh it For as the daye determinde is by darknesse of the night And things contrary ended are by force of others might So sort and course of causes good as reason doth require In vyle and wicked cause must ende and fynally expyre which wycked kingdomes gouerne shal and mischiefes vile shall guide Hence discorde euermore proceedes wyth brawles and minde to chide Strong battailes frayes false diseyt with fyres and slaughters great Theftes wyles with nede robberies and plagues with raging heate Great earthquakes stormes tempests great of sycknesses such store So great a sort of perilles vile and daungers euermore And finally what harmes to hap in any place we knowe From thys so wretched cause Prince of all the earth doth flowe Full truely earst alas did say the famous Hermes wyse This world a heape of harms doth seme where euery mischiefe lyes Bicause the diuell that on earth the chiefest stroke doth smite Is mischieuous and euermore in cruelty doth delight For as the first of causes is the spring of all good things So is the last the fountayne chiefe from whence all mischiefe springs Wherefore if lecherours on earth beare al the rule and sway If Asses sxt in seate as Kings in pompe of proud aray If charge of sheepe commytted is to wolues of rauening kinde If Harâ—ots in the Churches dwel and men of monstrous minde If that the holy rytes of Christ the hands vnpure doth fyle If Heauen and purging place Sir John doth sell wyth greedy guile More if vnpunnished such crimes are styll before our eyes The fault not in thalmighty Lord but in this Diuell lies Whome fortune commonly we name and Pluto oft we call But vnto him an apter name Sarcotheus fyt doth fall For vnto him the power of flesh and guiding is assinde Him serues all such as loue them selues â—o much wyth fleshly minde Of him the bodies are therefore in synne they alwayes driue And to the soules as enimies contrary styl do stryue For of the heauens commes the soule and from the starry Skyes But earthly are the bodies here and heauens do despyse This same Sarcotheus thoe that guydes the lowest partes of all Such holy men as do despise the â—oyes â—errestrâ—all To vertue bent and Godly life he hates and styl pursues And vexeth grieueth them molests as commonly doth vse The naughty Prince and cruel King alwayes for to oppresse The wysest men and such as do ercell in vertuousnesse For vertue of the wicked men is euermore enuied Al things their enimies hate and feare and shunne from them asyde Therefore the Diuel many harmes prouâ—deth for the meeke And them whose mindes do mouÌ„t aloft and hearts do heauen seke Ne would he haue his malice seene for if he should be knowne Al men would him detest as head from whom al ylles haue flowne And bloudy butcher of our kinde him al should iustly hate And cursing cal him cruel beast deceyuer of our state Therefore he craftely lies hydde and from the wyse man flies Least he be knowne ne feares he Moles but leapes from Linceus eyes So theues do vse and wicked men alwayes the light to flye And in the darkest tyme reioyce that none their mischiefe spye Hereof it commes as often as men feele aduersity Al ignorant wyth blindnesse and of minde oppressed be For ignorance is causer chiefe of errors al that fal Thinking with anger and complaynt the guyde of goodnesse al Doth vex theÌ„ so they straightway curse his hâ—e and holy name The wicked Diuel daunceth then and grinneth at the same And ioyes to see himself vnknowne and mischiefe close to lye And that he thus hath power to hurt and no man could it spye A foe vnto â—halmighty God he is and ennimy By whome from heauen tumbled down in chaynes he here doth lye Enclosde betwene the earth and Mone and there he holdes his rayne Wherfore O wretched mortal men at length apply your brayne To know the cause of al your griefes from whence such ylles do flowe And heauy harmful things do hay your butcher learne to know For this Sarcotheus this is he that plagues you in such sorte That of your harmes greuous grefes doth make his chiefest sport None otherwise than Mars his child great realmes in thraldome brought Wyth death of wretâ—hed men or beastes a pleaâ—ant pastyme sought The Noble men the Gentlemen the commons all syt styll In diuers roomes assigned them as Othaâ—s lawes doth wyll Then enters in before them all the cutters for to fyght Or else some other yeldes hys lymmes to beastes thereon to byte The Lion or the Tiger stout or else some fierâ—â—r kinde Should at this play present himselfe to please the peoples minde Wyth death mangled much w t wound from whence the bloud doth flow Oft vnto some of others smart a great delight doth grow Wherefore they do most wickedly that rayling thus do brawle And dare blaspheme thalmighty Lorde the cause of goodnesse all From whome as from himself no yll can any tyme proceede Except contingently as Sunne doth darcknesse euer breede As oft as vnder earth it slydes and absent fyre we see Encreaseth colde yet cloud in Sunne nor colde in Fyre can be Wherfore I maruel much that some whose Learning is not smal Do say that he offended is or wrathful him do cal And that he plagueth vs as oft as we do him offend That milde and Lord of mercies is that goodnesse al doth send And that from him doth warres begin wyth plague and famine sore If that our deedes could him offend what thing vnhappier more Than he in al the world were found â–ª for euery day and houre We crimes commit and blasphemies out of our mouthes we poure Then surely should he neuer ioy nor
with heauenly showers O light of mankinde here O perâ—ite way of sauing helth defence and comfort clere Both entry dore and guide of lyfe O peace and salue of minde O blessed worthy sanâ—tuary O wysedome swetest kynde That Nectar doest excell in tast to whom art thou now dere who followes thee what place hast thou on earth what honours there In Temples wast thou wont to raine in schooles and proches lowe In Councelles and in courts of kings now no man doth thee knowe But Poets dreames and tryfles fonde for thee in place doe raine what â—earnes 〈◊〉 scholler now in scholes what knowledge doth he gaine But â—ansyes vaine or baudy tales be holde in seate full hye The Master syâ—tes wich booke before that open wyde doth lye And spitting oft he well doth viewe hys great assembled crowde And when hee sees them bent to heare wyth lofty voice and lowde He then expoundes some dreadful ghost of dolefull tragedie Or else some harlots trickes declares in wanton Comedie Or doting lones of auncient time or else to light doth bring Some monstrous or some cruell fact or lamentable thing O brayne deseruing to be pâ—rged doest thou these wayes instruct The tender mindes and ignorant bring vp with such a fruiâ—t Is this the salt wher of the age so yong is made to say Is it not shame wyth â—ryfles such to passe the time away By thys so many naughty knaues and villaines doe appere By thys the groue of vices thick vp springeth euery where When as no vertuous bringing vp of Children can be founde O you that youth do not correct but rather them confounde Learne fyrst your selues to liue vpright and then to others showe A vertuous trade least lyke to beastes you liue and nothing knowe But thou Stellatus harken well to thee I will expresse which way thou shalt apply thy minde to perfecte vertuousnesse Fyrst oft in minde remember well one God alone to be Eâ—ernall best omnipotent and of most hye degre Who heauen and the golden Starres that shine throughout al the skye The rest of things that may be seene or not be seene wyth eye Of nothing with hys beck alone before all tymes hath made And framde theÌ„ kepes gouernes here with euerlasting trade Hym worship honor feare and prayse and often to hym praye Both nights dayes when SuÌ„ne doth ryse and Sunne doth fall away And when from both in equall space his Globe doth distant glowe For vertue chiefe and wysedome chiefe it is the king to knowe Of sainctes aboue and father of men to loue with heart entire To prayse him alwayes and to dread and humbly him desire Without thys same all vertues else think nothing worth to be For almost thys and nothing else sufficient is for thee Therfore haue alwayes God in heart and often in thy minde And call to him nothing than thys more vertnous canst thou finde Thys is to all the vertues else the open doore and plaine For without grace and ayde of God no man can them obtaine Nor able be to flye from vice Besydes the saynâ—ts aboue that dwell and hostes of messangers And seruants of the chiefest Lorde and holy Ministers Fulfilling the commaundement of hys Maiestie deuine That alwayes stand before hys face in skyes full cleare that shine With holy minde remember oft in humble sort to praye That they may helpe thee in thy neede and daungers dryue awaye And thee vnto the Lorde commende for truely Aungels can And often vse to profite much the earnest praying man Nor be not thou beware therof amongst such sort a mate That think that nature neuer made a thing of hygher state Than man mad men y t when they see so plaine before their eye Both seas and lande of Creatures full doe thinke that in the skye And in the Starres no dwellers be and indge the ample space Of blessed heauen for to be a voide and desert place O crabde and crookde vntoward soules O mindes in darkenesse drounde Mans sense can not all things perceiue for many things are founde That often tymes deceiue the eyes which yet the minde doth see Therfore what reason moues in minde must rather followed bee Which teacheth that there is a God and dwellers in the skye Wherfore y e Starres are eyther Gods Or Temples where they lye These grounde workes layde w t all thy heart embrace thou righteousnesse And let no iniury of thine be any mans distresse By wordes or deedes no man can hurt nor deale thou so wyth men As thou wouldst not be delt withall but alwayes doe to them As thou wouldst they should do ro thee thus nature doth decree Which if thou straightly dost not keeps giue credit vnto mee Thou neuer canst be fauoured of that maiestie deuine Nor after death vnhappy man thou shalt the heauens clime An others honor fame or state harme not in any case When vile desyre doth moue or wrathe or enuye comes in place But rather helpe such as thou knowest to be of vertuous minde With all thy force and pleasure doe to men of wycked kinde Sometimes that so they hurt thee not or seldomer thee harme And let not brybes nor loue nor hate thy minde from iustice charme For these are three especiall things that dasell sore the syght Of minde and driue men euer more from doing well and right But styll haue God in memory and death to come in minde Then fâ—ye the enticements of the flesh and byts of sharpest kinde On pleasure put For nothing doth to man more mischiefe bring Than yll delight to vertue sure a most contrary thing For vertue laboures euermore the heauens hye to clyme But pleasure ennimy to the skies doth downeward styll decline And groueling gaseth on the earth as beastes do commonly Destroying strength of body here and force of minde wherby It breedes a dull and slouthful sense and sharp dyseases makes This is that Circes that Syren and hooke of Stygian lakes With this same snare a nuÌ„ber great of soules the Diuell takes And suffers not them after death their countrey Skyes to see But wyly wrappeth them in mystes of Hel his mates to be These bayts therfore thys poison swete of fylthy fiendish foe Wyth al thy might auoyd them well and warely from them go Lest that when greater yeres do come in vayne thou dost repent Thy selfe thy substance fame and wit so lost and fondly spent Then shalt thou say as many do O goodly tymes in minde How vilely haue I you abused where now should I you finde Unhappy man If God would graunt agayne my former tyme And once againe the Samian branch I might assay to clyme Thereto I would where as the earth his horne forth doth stretch Though that the way be strayt steepe the top there of to retch No kinde of thing doth vertue passe which alwayes doth remayne Which honor giues and hie estate and glory great doth gayne Preserues the life and doth augment the goods that here you
haue And doth remaine when death hath cast the fading corse in graue But me vnhappy wretch alas did pleasure swete deâ—eaue And fled away doth me in briars and many mischienes leaue For whilst that I in youthful yeares the â—â—ewes do oft frequent And while to feeding slepe and play my dolâ—â—sh minde was bent Nought would I lerne hating bokes did study much despise And learning scorne but now alas I see before my eyes My selfe vnlearnde of yll report in beggarly aray My strength decayde my minde appald my senses worne away Al this tyme haue I liued as he that lyes a sleepe in dreames Doth think him self awake to be deceyued by such meanes Like wordes to these doth vtter ofâ— the sâ—outhfull sâ—uggish man When age the neighbor nexte to death doth count to late as than His life led yll in youthfull yeares The greatest sort do shut the dore when Steede is stollen away And wyse they are when as to late their wittes they do assay And for Physitians faâ—â— they seeke when hope of health is gone O wretches whilst you here haue tyme looke wel thys tyme vpon For fast away the houre â—â—yes and fled can not reâ—ouâ—ne No teares can help the corse in graue nor sobbes for him to mourne That medcine only is of force which is in time applyed Therfore must vertue be embracde when youth is fyrst in pryde And then it nedeful is to to treade the perfect path of lyfe And vertuous workes to take in hand then reason must be ryfe And minde wyth councel must be rulde while yet but yong it is Least that with fonde delight deceyude it he adlong runne amysse Who so is wyse let hym in tyme wyth wisedome wel prouide For after wyttes are euermore to folly next alied And out of tyme it bringeth griefe be wayling al in vayne A hurt or losse that neuer can be brought or got agayne Besyde the wicked thirst of wealth and vile desyre of golde Must thou eschew for where a place this couetousnesse doth holde There rayne almost eche other vice as shameful periuries Ungoolinesse theft and disceyt wyth open robberies Guyles treasons and conspyracies wyth frayes and murders vile What needes it for to shew them all nothing besyde more vile Nor worse than is the couetous man that drownde in earth belowe Doth like the Mole no kinde of thing desyre loue or know Saue only riches of the earth for which he doth not feare Eche yll to work nor other God he doth acknowledge here But purse and pens his chiefe delight nor sees the vnhappy best How short the lyfe of man is here how frayle how sone deceast And how that from his bending bow death euermore doth cast His deadly shaftes that pearceth hearts of mortall men so fast And neyther spares the yong nor lernd nor yet the wealthy wyght But euery man wythout respect wyth bloudy blow doth smyte And oftentimes is neerest then when furthest of he showes And sodaine tumults then doth cause when no man of hym knowes But thou regarde not ryches here nor goods that subiect be To blinded chaunce nor let no care of such things tro 〈…〉 thee For proper vnto no man are the things which as she lykes Doth fortune giue and takes away when she vnconstant strykes Or passing doth wyth lyfe away to diuers men descend Nay other riches shalt thou seke that neuer shal haue ende On which no chauÌ„ce nor kinde of death shall euer powre obtayne These riches labour thou to get both dayes and nightes with payne For that thou shalt be truely rich and truely blest by that The others that the common sorte like fooles do wonder at And wish to haue if thou enioyest as money house and land Them vse and occupy at wyll who doth agaynst it stand But iustly yet and modestly and when thou maist or can Haue pity on the pouerty despise no needy man By this meanes shalt y e wyn thee praise and health for euer more And for this earthly baggage here the Skies aboue shalt gayne No man is he but sure a wolfe that doth not mercy showe That is not moued to see the state of others ouerthrowe But if of poore estate thou arte then beare it paciently And in good part sustayne the lotte of this thy pouerty For greater ouerthrowes hath he and greater griefe and care Whome Fortune most enriched hath and giuen the greater share And so much ouerlayd he is wyth wayght of substance great That by no meanes he can beholde the hie celestial seate For light and voyde of earthly dregges it him behoues to be That wil with minde ascend the place where as the heauens be For more a man seekes earthly state more falles he from the Skye And from the euer lasting light he farther of doth flye And eke in place where as a man his treasure vp doth hyde There lies his heart and there his mind doth euermore abyde Thus prouertie helpes many men vnburdning them therby That so wyth swifter wyngs they may vnto the heauens flye In lyke sort pride thou must auoyde the spring of stryfe and hate That with discention many times destroyes a common state wyth thys disease in auncient time was Rome nere ouerthrowne Opprest wyth rage of fury fierce that ciuill warres had blowne Flye thou thys fiende of hell if thou desyrest for to bee A friende of Gods and after death the Heauens elere to see No proude man loues the Gods aboue nor is beloued of them For God estemes the humble sort and lowly minded men And well he lykes the gentle mindes where no ambition lyes Thrustes downe y e proude suffers not to dwell with him in skyes wherfore you proude disdainful swarme what doth your pryde you gaine What helpes your great renoumed names and princely titles vaine which death in shortest time doth spoile and in the streame hath dronde Of Lethes flouds where synking lowe they neuer can be founde You seeke to please the common sort and of them praysde to hee Tell what distretion hath that state the truth of things to see They count you here as Gods to be and what doth follow then When Asses here in deede you are with outwarde signe of men Th vnskilfull sort you doe deceiue but not the Gods aboue But rather them to laughter oft and oft to wrath you moue For all your prety prankes they marke and priuie deedes they see But you O blinded Asses thinke no Gods at all to bee Nor yet beleue the Corse in graue the soule shall ryse to dome And therfore seke these present ioyes and scorne the lyfe to come A number great of beastes aliue in shape of men doe straye Hence springeth vp your errour great and cause of your decaye That with your grosse capacitie no other thing you see but bodyes grosse nor true things know but such as shaddowes bee The greatest sort delight in smoke and full with smoke they flowe O fooles what lighter thing thaÌ„ smoke what
thing doth vayner showe Or what may more be laughed at than honor to pursue All vndeserued and to despyse the cause of honor true We see yll men vnlearned and fonde in place aloft to stay And guide such as doe them excell whom they should rather obay For spitefull fortune stâ—ll doth sport 〈◊〉 mortall mans estate And out of order all confoundes as she doth lyke or hate Oft tymes exaiting to the starres the stouthfull seruile kinde Deseruing fetters for to weare or in the mille to grinde But if she were of good estate she would the world commit Of wyse men to be guided here as meete it is and fyt Then all things should in order passe and lawes in strength should stande And holy Sacraments be delt by Godly Prelates hande And God would then contented be to she we himselfe in syght But harebrainde Fortune alwaies doth in counter faites delight Yet thys thalmighty Lorde permittes Who could it well correct And why should not we suffer it For vnto what effect Is it the truth with reason strong to maintaine and defende Preuayling not but get thereby displeasure in the ende For wysedome is coÌ„temnde harmde with which no force doth raine Whom no authoritie supportes nor honour doth maintaine Therfore it is better not to speake despyse thou in thy minde The foolishe common peoples prayse and gyftes of Fortune blinde Applye thy selfe to please the Lorde wyth deedes of vertuous kynde And after death true honor thou and true renoume shalt finde That for the iust and Godly men prepared is in skyes Wheras the milde and lowly hearts doe ioy in ioyfull wyse But proude men wofully doe wayle in smothring fiery smokes Now last of all restraine thy wrath for anger rage prouokes And rage doth cause vnsemely wordes of naughty wordes doth spring Both brawles frayes of frayes comes wouÌ„ds wouÌ„ds do slaughter bring Anger doth so confounde the minde that dronke when bloud doth frye It knowes not what to doe and voide of iudgement runnes awrye Sraight griefe shame ensues y e deedes done vnaduisedly Shunne thys guide minde winne thy selfe with bearing manfully A goodly vertue pacience is which who so is without Must needes of force lacke honestie with cruell minde and stout Still vsyng for to braule and â—â—ght Frayes fittest are for beastes And quiet peace is farre more meete to dwell in mortall breastes The wyse vertuous man sekes peace all other things before And suffers things of smaller waight for feare of mischiefe more And well takes heede least that the cole that yet but kindling lyes Wyth fiery force of flashing flame aloft at length aryse Who naught can beare let him absent himselfe from company And leade hys lyfe alone in woods or else on mountaines hye And he that dwelles in company let him learne much to beare And to restrayne with brydle sharpe the wrath that him doe steare Dissembling closely wyth himselfe his anger that doth spring And neuer breake the bondes of peace for euery tristing thing Forgiuing stull the faultes of those that hym offended haue That he may so forgiuenesse get as he to others gaue Thus much of trayning of the minde I thought it good to touche Which doth suffyse to these I coulde haue added more by much But he that doth obserue these fewe shall neuer want the rest But easely all them obtaine that are not here exprest They all contayned priuily and closde in these doelye But yet it nedefull is the whyle the wysemens bookes to applye And causes for to searche of things and to adorne the minde With diuers arâ—es for voyde therof it is both dull and blinde And thus as hath bene sayde before those â—ooles and foxes well May vertuous be and frame theÌ„selues in seate of blysse to dwell These thigs while as my guide declarde in presens Mercury The poste of Gods and Atlas Sonne sent downe from Ioue stoode by And willde Tâ—malphes in hast the heauens to ascende For all the saints quoth he are willds on Ioue for to attende And Momus there appointed hath of wayghty affayres to treate If certaine Monks that placed are vpon the hauty seate That harde besyde the citie standes where passing by the walles To Venize goolfe the fyshie streames of Ariminum fall Oflyuing shall depriued be or else those partes forsake That contrey women vse to cut when they theyr Capons make Since that they are to coltishe waxt and beare their heddes to hye Despisyng men and filthy factes commit licenciously Example taking of their Prior fye fye to great a shame And can the Church abyde to see such Porkettes as these same That only liue to serue their paunch their lust and sleepy sense Which heard in hast Aretes sonne departing straight from thence Did me commyt to Mercury who going downe to Hell The speciall message of hys Lord vnto the fiende to tell Me fast embracing in his armes did through the cloudes conuay To ground what time as Clement Pope in campe with Caesar lay Within the walles of Bononye and Florenze City fayre With mighty force did long besiege Thus cutting swift the ayre With wyngs at length came Mercury to rockes that ragged lye Of S. Marinus hauty hylles that seeme to touch the Skye From thence in small descent he set me in thy fieldes so gay Verruculus and then to Hell in haste he takes his way Capricornus the tenth Booke AL haile to thee good Mercury from Stygian lake so soone things Art thou returnde declare what in Plutoes court are doone Great brawles raging mad vprodes what is the cause or why I wyll thee tell although in haffe I must to heauen flye So great a sort of Turkes and Jewes and Christians there remaine That place therein suffiseth not the number to contayne No empty rome there is but all ful thwact as they may he The Porches full and ful the Hall and full the courtes I see The Temples houses and the Streates the Walles and Market rowe And al the City fieldes and hylles and wooddy valleyes lowe So full that crowding thick they thrust and shoue wyth diuelish might With fyst and heele and tuske tooth in cruel sort they fight For of no weapon haue they skill nor sprites can euer dye Scarce could I passe the place vnto whereas the fiend doth lye But through y e mydst of swarming soules wyth force I make my way And wyth this rod to get me roome amongst them fast I lay At length the priuy chaumber of the black and vggly sprite I come vnto whom there I fynde in sad and doleful plight And when to him I had declarde my fathers full decree Commanding him that Antechrist should strayght vnlosed be From out the pyt and sent abrode to euery place and land That working wonders strange false and teaching that at hand The dreadful day of iudgement is and cude of all the rest May al thing out of order bring both Gods and man and beast As fixed
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
waters cleere Is sone destroyed and with a puffe of winde doth not appere For in a moment al the ioyes of man are fetcht away Then only doth the talk remaine wherein they thus do say Loe here he was loe this did he he fought and triumph wan He loued he raigned he conquerd realmes subdued many a man A goodly sorâ—e of bookes he wrote but now where shall we finde These things no where Himself where now both out of sight and minde What is he now Nothing Or whether did he himself conuay Loe fled from hence with windes he is and vanisht quite away Alas alas but trifles fond and fansies meere they be Whatsoeuer goodly thing on earth or wonderful we see What tell you me of Was or Did one Is more worth coumpt I Than Was a thousand times But fast this Is away doth flye And al our pompe with him he beares These things who wel doth way And vseth to consider oft shall quickly cast away This worldly loue and hating earth shal seeke the Skies to finde Especially if therewithal he vse to beare in minde How fylthy and how miserable mans body doth appere Of fading flesh and brittle bones with skinne encompast here Al flowing ful with dregges vncleane and bloud corrupt and vile Still durty soule and filthy lookes except it euery while Be washt and kept with daily care and so made fayre and white O dolefull hospitall of minde and vessell of the sprite By which such sycknesse great we feele by which such neede we haue O heauie garment pryson strong O quick and liuely graue That chokest here both minde sense and them in darkenesse hyde Wherby so great an ignorance in brest of man doth byde O earth to earth returning soone that in a smallest while In tombe shalt freshly feede y e wormes with foode of carcasse vile In what a wretched case liues he that ledde away with loue Of thee doth leaue the perfect lyfe and gift of God aboue While more than meate esteming thee thy pleasures here preparde He onely seekes and good and ryght 〈◊〉 smally doth regarde And thinkes there is no other lyfe than this that here we holde A foolishe Asse forgetfull of himselfe and countrey olde From whence into thys darksome dale and dolefull place he went That so a wretche he should become in wretched carcasse pent For euery soule that is enclosde with fleshe and members here Hath wretched lyfe tyll losed froÌ„ thence it flye to heauens clere Except the heauy waight of synne doe barre him of hys way And cause it in the lowest ayre or on the earth to stay For purest heauen neuer can a thing vncleane abyde Nor wicked men nor doltishe fooles may come where God doth guide These wordes while as the holy man in teaching mee had spent The Sunne almost had ended daye with Waine that weary went And night was nere at hande that thoe began abrode to cast Hir dreadfull darksome shade vpon the worlde approching fast I thence depart and towards Rome my way in hast I take And whyle with speede I passe the pathe that iorney new doth make Lo Cynthia shining compasse full did call the lightlesse night With syluer beames that dewe she cast to appere both fayre and bright Thus went I all alone and wyth my selfe in minde I wayde The Godly wordes that late to me the auncient Father sayde But lo thre men in company therwith I might beholde whom meeting thus by chauÌ„ce I askde which way they trauaile would To Rome they sayde and one of them lookde full vyon mee thoe And naming mee from wheÌ„ce quoth he what countrey comste thou froe I aunswerde him from that wyse man which in the part most hye Of fayre Apolloes stately hyll in lofty place doth lye Wherewith he smylde sayde O foole synkes it into thy minde That possyble on earth it is a wyse man here to finde He semeth wyse that is least foole the other sort among Although a dolt for wysedome doth to Gods alone belong Of number which we here are three for I am calde by name Sarracilus and Sathiell he Iaxa is thys same which though we walk in humain shape thus seeming men in face Yet Gods we be and nere the Moone we haue our dwelling place Whereas a number great of Gods of meanest sort doe lye That haue the guiding of the earth and Seas that ryse so hye This when I heard amasde I was and sore to dread began Yet seming bolde and voide of feare full lyke a pretye man â–ª I askde wherfore they went to Rome then aunswerde me the same A fellowe there of oures we haue that Ammon hath to name whom bounde to serue by Magike Arte a yong man there kepes straight Of Narni soyle that doth in court of Vrsin prelate wayght O what great power is graunted man the sprites he guides by line By this you well may vnderstande your soules to be diuine And voide of death For if no part of you should after raine If that your soule should dye as bodye here by death is slaine What power shoulde haue such foolishe beastes and trifling pyctures vaine Upon the sprites aboue And if no sacred thing remaine In you how should such Ghostes as we the force of man so waye Or vnto man of fading state in such a sort obaye Yea I my selfe was once Constrainde to serue a German wight Enclosde within a compast stone of Christall clere and height â–ª But at the length a bearded syre vnlosde me of these bandes And prison broken thence I fledde in hast from out his handes To Rome therefore we go with minde if that we may t'vntye From seruice straight a mate of oures that there doth captiue lye And so that downe to Hell we may conuaye this present night A sort of Romishe prelates proude that liue in great delight These words whyle as he spake a winde forthwith dyd pittling blowe Quoth Sathiell then O frendes froÌ„ Rome Remisses comes I knowe This winde that comes before declares nor herein did he lye For therwithall a fayre yong man Remisses stoode them bye They at hys comming all reioist and byd hym welcome there And aske what great affayres in Rome what newes doe there appere There all quoth he are bent to lust and Glotony doe minde With theft and guile all ours they be both man and womankinde But Clement there the Pope prepares an armye great in hast And seekes to haue the present state of Luther cleane defacde And Spanishe ensynes therfore kepes nor wyll he nowe dispute And him wyth scriptures ouerthrowe but with the sworde confute Away with counsaile now and hence with Luthers workes againe For Byshops now are battailes meete all other wayes are vaine Ne care they what the Apostles taught ne for the wordes of Christ But boast themselues as Lordes of all that may doe what they list They that haue power do feare no law law is with force opprest But we my mates doe
continually Where nature mischiefes doth permit there plants she pleasure by And wise she mixeth sowre with sweete and where diseases raynes There hath she poynted remedies that can release the paynes Therefore wheresoeuer to much heate anoyes the inhabitant No mountaynes colde nor cooling blastê no shaddowing trees do want Nor pleasant streams w t store of springê whose coldenesse may defeate The harmes that happen vnto man by force of raging heate Besides the night hath equall length there all times with the day Which with an euen cooling force doth heate of Sunne alay wherby we iudge the myddle Zone not voyd nor empty â—â—es But peopled well by nature safe and meanes that they deuise So th'vtter Zones where as they say no kinde of people dwell with snowes and yse all couerde styll men may inhabite well As reason good doth vs persuade for there great store of wood Doth alwayes grow garments there are made both great and good wyth furres of sundry sortes of beastes and stoues are many there where w t men well may warm theÌ„selues and winter nothing feare And bytter colde by many meanes they well may driue away Nor foode conuenient do they want but Cates at home they may Or brought froÌ„ other countreyes haue and daynty kinde of fare wherefore it is not true that some brought vp in Greece declare That nature onely hath assignde one Zone of smallest sise For man to dwell and all the rest that voyd and desert lies Alone to serue for beast and fish this world vnworthy seeme That nature graunting greater place to beasts them best esteeme Wherfore if he may be beleeued that troth doth playnly tell No place there is vpon the earth but men may safely dwell Dame natures ayde in nothing doth sustayne or feele decay And witte of man the hardest things doth breake and beare away Now last bicause vnto the ende with haste apace we hie And time doth wyll vs to attempt the fishes of the Skie Therefore I briefly will declare the cause why earth doth quake What force doth driue it for to moue what might doth make it shake And thus we may be bolde to thinke that in the earth belowe Are many caues and mighty vawtes where boystrous winds do blowe Which whilst with force they rage and striue vpon the earth they beate And in this rage do ouerturne the walles and Cities greate Tyll breaking out at some one place wyth force abrode they flye And blowe about in puffing ayre not long in rest they lye These windes are bred within the earth of damps which firy heate Doth draw from moysture neere about for many fiers great The earth within doth nourish styll a wondrous thing I tell But yet no fayned thing I shewe he can beare witnesse well Who so hath Aetna euer seene or bathes of waters hote Or who so knowes the wonders of Veseuus viney plotte These winds the wicked sprits do moue that in the lowest Hell Possesse their place and in the depth of dongeons darke do dwell For trifies surely are they not nor words of vanitie That of the Stygian lakes and of Auernus spoken be No place doth voyd or emptyly but dwelt in euery wheare Both vnder earth and on the earth in ayre and firy spheare In Skies and eke aboue the Skies where Heauen shineth bright where as the glistring pallayce standes of Prince of greatest might That owner is of all the world My Muse adieu farewell And finally prepare thy selfe thy ending tale to tell Pisces the tvvelueth Booke MOst glorious GOD almighty King thou Parent chiefe of name Whose wisdom gret this woÌ„drous world of nothing first did frame And gouerns it and euermore preserueê it day by day The spring and end of all that be to whome all things obay Than whome more great more good or fayre is nothing nor more hie That blessed liuest for euermore aboue the starry Skye My minde desiring now to thee to clime doth nothing neede Apollo Muse Parnasus hill or springs that wont to feede The pratling Poets fansies vayne when as they list to write Disguised tales that frantike heads of countrey Clownes delite For other ayde and other grace it needefull is to haue And streames of other fountayns swete I thyrsty now do craue I thee beseech and humbly pray on thee alone I call That this my worke of late begoonne and labour last of all Thou fauour wilt and grauÌ„t me grace to touch the appoynted ende O Lorde thy holy sprite vouchsafe into my heart to sende wherewith inspirde I may beholde the secrets of thy rayne And others teache and with my verse immortall honour gayne A sorte there are that do suppose the ends of euery thing Aboue the heauens to consist and farther not to spring So that beyond them nothing is and that aboue the Skies Hath nature neuer powre to clime but there amazed lies Which vnto me appeareth false as reason doth me teach For if the ende of all be there where Skies no farther reach Why hath not God created more bicause he had not skill How more to make his cunning stayed and broken of his will Or was it bicause he had not powre but troth both these denies For powre of God hath neuer ende nor bounds his knowledge ties No kinde of thing may God conclude nor limits him assigne Nor propre force doth once restrayne the Maiestie deuine Great things I tell and reason greate shall also this defende If any thing the powre of God may ende or comprehende Then is y t thing more strong than God For what thing can be found That if it haue not greater force another thing can bound But nothing passeth God in powre nor stronger is than he Therefore he neyther can nor wyll with limits compast be For who wold haue his force restraynd when that he may be free And walke abrode where as he list with powre at libertie No man there is that doth desire himselfe for to abase But rather all men arrogate to them a higher place And alwayes seeke for to enhaunce the state that here they leade And though their wings be large wide yet farther them to spreade will GOD then while he may be greatest of powre omnipotent His propre force himselfe restrayne and liue in limits pent This surely doth not well agrée nor ought to be beleeued That God hath bounds if that of none he euer them receiued Nor hath assigned to himselfe as we before did proue These things foretold we thus coÌ„clude the works of God aboue Unbounded for to be least that his powre and maiestie And knowlege should be counted vayn For if aboue the Skie He could and might haue framed more and goodlier things by much But would not then in vayne is all his power and knowledge such For if that any man haue skyll and cunning in an arte And neuer will in practise put the knowledge of his harte In vayne he should vnto himselfe procure a workmans name In vayne with
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