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
to bee Such one I say no man nor God can euer well despise But he that vertue doth enuie at least that is not wise For who but such wyll not hym loue and worthily commende That feareth God and righteousnes obserueth to hys ende Whom golde can neuer ouercome who willeth no mans wrong Who helpes the poores afflicted case who flyeth the naughty throng He feedes the humble and the meke yll tongues hee doth reiect No man to hurt he doth reioice but rather to protect And that which is the worthyest praise at euery time he can In euery thing a modestye vse happy is that man More happy yet I doe him iudge that doth in both excell Who that is good and learned to a crowne deserueth well For other men he farre exceedes as golde doth copper passe And as the flaming Piropus excelles the duskey glasse And seldome synne thou shalt discerne a man of learned fame At least not much vnto the rude there is no heede of shame But headlong rushe they into vice which they forbidden bee And holy lawes be laught to scorne by foolishe fonde decree Lyke as the blinde cannot beware but fal in ditches deepe As men amid the darke be hurt when Proserpine doth sleepe So minde of man which is but blinde take learning once away In euery vice it doth not doubt to fall and runne astray Except it be comprest by feare of paine that may ensue No things but those that pleasaunt bee it iudgeth right or true Yet many times it may be sene that nature doth supply The maisters roume and giueth grace in youth abundantly Whereby that schoole did neuer teache by grace they may obtaine What letteth such to leade a life as vertue teacheth plaine The greater thankes be due to him for euermore to giue Whose booke doth shew a Methode true declaring how to liue O famous Gods of hie renoume which rule the forked hyll To whom my yeares I alwayes gaue and dedicate them styll If that such waighty things a wretche may safely you desire In this my worke I take in hande your aide I now require Let not dishonour me deface nor in his blasing rage Let limping Uulcan me destroye at any time or age And thus an ende the ramme that kepes the entraunce of our doore Doth leaue his place vnto the bull that hasteth here afore The booke approching next at hande doth will mee to haue done In hast and biddes me finishe now that I of late begonne ¶ The Seconde booke entituled Taurus LOng time y t hast thee rested well my boate in pleasant baye Now time vs biddes to hoyse vp sailes and ancour vp to way The washing wynter now is fledde the hoary snowes be gon From downe the hylles they fast distill that once they fell vpon The earth againe doth florishe greene the trees repaire their spring With pleasaunt notes the Nitingale beginneth new to sing With flowers fresh their heads be deckt the Fairies daunce in fielde And wanton songes in mossye dennes the Drids and Satirs yelde The wynged Cupide fast doth cast his dartes of golde yframed And lusty youth with pleasaunt heate hath feruently inflamed Now may we safely wander out amid the waters plaine The floudes be calme y e westerne wynde is present here againe O foole why art thou now afraide the ayre is fayre and bright And Atlas daughters risyng vp perswade thy course of right For ydlenesse what kynde of praise can happen vnto thee To stouthfulnesse no good rewarde may well ascribed bee Lyft vp thy heart and corage eke be bolde and of good chere For fortune most doth fauour those that all things least doe feare To fearefull folkes at any time shee 〈…〉 umphe hath denaide But as I gesse the monsters teeth doth make thee sore afraide Great shame it is that vertue shoulde for monsters hyde their face Go to therefore leaue of thy lettes and walke the depth apace The kyng and Lord and mighty power that rules the worlde so fast Who wyth a beck the golden starres shall gouerne whilste they last Who made the earth inhabited wyth beastes of sundry sight And diuers fishe within the sea to draw their vitall sprite Least destitute of dwellers be those elements they shoulde And onely man among the rest discerne he reason woulde And vnto him he graunted speache where beastes be dumme of sounde Declining downe their bodies great doe lycke the massey grounde With reason he hath vnder brought the strongest beastes of might The Lion fierce the Tygre swift alone hath put to flight The serpents though their bodies foule wyth poyson doe abounde Doe stande in awe and feare him to when that they heare hys sounde The mōstruous mole y e thurlpole great of mighty forme and strength In Occean sea doth giue him place when he doth walke at length Take him away what were the earth a place wyth bryers growne And would bring forth no kinde of corne vntilde or els vnsowne Hee cities built and ordned lawes wherby they ruled bee Wyth temples trymmed for their state the Gods adourned hee Full many artes he searched forth and instruments he founde Which like the lightning flashe flame and lyke the thunders sounde Wherein the fier fast inclosde inforceth all hee may Out of hys mouth to rumble oute the pellet farre away Whereby the Towers hye be bette and walles of euery towne Hys strength not able to abide come topsy turuey downe And he that heareth farre away the bouncing of these blowes With dreadfull noyse y e thūder thumpes as present there he trowes Unhappy had you bene O Gods if in Phlegreus grounde Wheras with giantes huge you fought such weapons had bene founde He founde out shippes whereby a man to passe the seas may knowe And wander farre whereas he list if wynde at wyll doe blowe In places farre abrode and nie to Tytan in the East And where the Sūne doth slip sometime and fall vnder the west And in the North whereas the Beare her colour cleare doth giue And in the other part againe where men there be that liue Whose feete contrary quite to ours doe alwayes vse to treade And lyke to fall their heeles aloft doe downewarde hang theire head And though he doe excell in witte and vigour of the minde So much that well he may be thought to come of God hys kinde Yet knowethhe not nor seekes to know a thyng to badde to tell How for to liue what wayes to flye or what to follow well O mortall brestes where darknes blinde doth euermore abounde And eke O mindes where foolishnesse may alwayes well be founde By wicked wayes they runne astray and fewe alas doe knowe Which way their iourney well to take or where in safe to rowe Whereby the chiefe and happiest lyfe in time they may obtaine The knotty science of tho lawes will neuer shewe it plaine Nor he that can in medicine skyll in eloquence or grammer But onely wysedome must the waye detect the chiefe defender
let him go tosse the boke Of Stagerite or if he liste in Platoes workes go loke Which two are lightes to all the world whatsoeuer then it be Such like to vs that giues that terme may profitable we As to the body medcine is and eke the phisick leach And to the minde the boke likewyse is mayster that doth teach But those that profiteth the soule more profitable be And better eke bycause it is of greater dignity As is the mayster than the man the shipman than the ship Than is the cart is he that holdes the clashing carters whip But by delay or out of hand doth profit vs eche thing As to the hungred man the golde and he that golde doth bring The coke and eke the fode it selfe the like I do declare Of pleasing goods in diuers partes deuided is their share Of which the body some do please and some the soule delight But yet the pleasures of the soule he alwayes more of might And common eke to Gods and vs whereas the bodies ioy As graunted vnto brutish beastes to them a proper roy Not lawfull vnto them it is wyth ioyes of soule to mell Nor haue they all the senses fiue and only knowe they well What tast and sense of featling meanes they musick nought esteme No swete perfumes wyth princely smel to them doth pleasant seme Regard they ought the paynted lines of fine Appelles hand Or muse they on the brasen plate of comly Corinthes land Or wonder they the sight to see of shooting Circus game If ought they smel if tune or syght them please it is the same That â—aste or feeling makes as when the Lion fierce doth spye In fieldes by chaunce a cowe he leapes and liftes his maine on hye And twines and twirls his twisting tast desrous of his pray Or when the fomey horse beholdes the gadding mare astray Wyth hauty head vpheld he runnes and here and there he kickes And leapeth hedge and ditch abrode while lusty guts him prickes And causeth all the skies aboue wyth hineying noyse to shrike When meat therfore and gendring act the beastes do chiefest like And syth to them it proper is it is therfore most vile And fit for villaynes to possesse fyne wyt it doth erile To often vsde it body hurtes who therfore this obayes Is made a foole and for to serue is apter eke alwayes Than ouer others for to rule but vse them moderately And if thou minded art to know the goods of honesty Remember what before I sayd for of the minde they bee The maners milde and learning eke as I declard to thee But giue good eare what I shal say those goods that do delight While as they last do pleasant seme and after of no might Example for beholde the ioyes of song and Uenus play But that that brings the body good that profits men do say The goods therof be pleasant eke as health obtaynde doth please So profits it agayne we see that healeth eche disease And that that causeth goods of minde we well may profit name But these as sone as they be got then pleasant are the same And honest out of hand they be for all that vertue brings Doth profit much and delt her selfe aboue all other things She pleaseth most and honest is her iust rewarde and hire Is honour only due to her therfore who doth desire Much loue while he here liues to haue let eyther him deuise To please or profyt them he loues or else in any wyse Let him haue vertues good in store the which the dogged sort Shal force and eke constrayne to gyue a prayse and good report Whome though they hate yet shall they feare and fyrst of all he must Of those whome he doth seke to please marke all the manners iust For all mens wylles do not agree nor all their studies one Such seedes vnlike dame nature sowes engendring vs vpon The one doth hate that thother loues that one doth most disprayse The other lifts aboue the Skies wherof appeares alwayes That eche loue al things not a like nor al men do desyre One good that profits like to haue nor honest like requyre Wherfore we fyrst of all must learne what pleaseth best his brayne To whome we seke lest else perchaunce we laboure all in vayne In doing things of them vnliked this is not hard to knowe The talke assuredly declares the deedes from them that flowe And hidden heart al men talke most of that they most do loue And most attentiue are therto ful many things that proue His loue at home may eft be spied the plowman holdes at home The plow the goade the yoke the rake the spade to temper lome The Knight his fearful armour hath that hangs at home full bie So he whose house wyth bokes abounds a student rightfully May demed be and this I say of euery other man The hand and tong declares the heart such things as pleaseth than Who seketh frendes let him perfourme for fawning loue doth get But most men yet do gape for gayne and all mens hearts are set On gold and giftes and many frendes by gyftes obtayned be But sure such loue endureth not for when that gayne doth flee Then fayleth frendship chiefly then when hope to haue is gone But some there be though few of them that styll remayne as one And mindfull eke of frendship shewed do neuer ceasse to loue But graunt the vnthankfuls frendshyp fayle it doth not yet behoue The good and frendly man to leaue who may as rare be found As Phenix bird in all the world that breedes in Arabs ground To profyt many men and ayde wyth all his power the same This way to heauen only leades by this obtaynd the game Great Hercules and many more whose worthy fames remayne As yet wyth vs whome neuer age can cause to die agayne The gentle and the liberall man is lyke to God aboue Great sortes of men agayne there be delighting things that loue Wherby such men they most esteme that pleasant things do bring And chiefly children youth and such as are of greate liuing Do couet ioyes and pleasures seke but such loue is not true For when that pleasure once is gone then frendships eke adewe Yet sometymes sure it profyts much and many get therby Riches and many fauour get therfore let him apply His mind to please who frendship sekes so he go not astray From bondes of right and honesty but eche man profyt may And pleasure eke two sundry wayes by wordes and dede besyde But safer eke and easier it is such frendship to prouide By wordes than dedes but now t is best for to declare the way By which it may be brought to passe which thing perfourme you may If holsome counsell thou dost giue and warning hurt declare And teach how profyt may be got of euill to beware In praying Gods to send them helth and send them well to fare In askyng gratefull thynges for them in whome consistes thy care
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