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
I go And leaue this fylthy world I wyll where thousand mischieues flowe Where fayth is none where godlinesse where iustice none doth dwell Where peace and quietnesse is fled where vices beare the bell Where brother sekes the brothers blud where sonne the father hates Where discorde euermore doth raigne and guile in maried mates No man there is at least but rare who if he can not steales Who robbeth not who doth not fayne and who not falsiy deales That well this world may now be calde of theeues a gaping den Loe Kings and Bishops proude besyde by name of Godly men The commons poore do powle and pyl and Citizens do shere And simple innocents destroy what should I recken here The horedomes great committed now all flowes with vice we see The naughty act do yong men vse and close misused be Who plants not hornes in neighbours heads the balde religious frye Who should be chast abrode with hores or close wyth boyes do lye To widdowes graue or tender maydes the holy priestes do crepe And some within their kinsfolkes bed haue great delight to slepe Some slaues w t bests themselues defile the fieldes and groue of tree And euery towne is now a stewes And harmes that instant be And daungers great that haps to men and labours great and sore And al the supersticious sorte of false religious lore What nede we subiectes now to be syth O the shameful state Unwytty and grosseheaded fooles and they that learning hate To whome the dice and Dogs to kepe with byrdes of rauening kinde And horses ryde with other toyes is all their chiledish minde Do Scepters holde and peoples guide and gouerne Cities strong Here of such errors vp do spring with folishnesse among Hereof so many vices breede if this thou callest to minde Thou shalt not feare this foolish worlde and nought to leaue behinde Yea thou wilt count it wel that once Calanus and his feares Did bring to passe who slewe theÌ„selues to scape these wretched yeares And staying death with hand did haste nor longer would preserue The dying Corps nor wretched flesh with labour long to serue And if religion sayd not nay and lawes of Plato hie And GOD himselfe I would persuade thee forthwith for to die And wicked chaunce and wretched earth to leaue as vayne and nought Not wine as wine desyred is but wine and good is sought So life as life is nothing worth if goodnesse lack we see If it be naught as wine corrupt let it despised be For life it selfe we nede not wysh nor fled it ought to be The worme the flye and euery stone and barke of euery tree And euery vile and little thing doth life in it possesse No kinde of thing desyred is where wanteth pleasauntnesse If it be not both life and good I see no cause whereby It should be wisht or may be loued Therefore who feares to dye Is but a foole since he desires such hurt and harme to byde Both of the body and the minde with labours long besyde Before he would al kinde of grieues with flesh from him expel And euer in tranquillity and perfect rest to dwell Or leauing members here behinde to liue for euermore Where he shal want no kinde of thing nor sorrow feele nor sore And with the saincts togither there about the world to flye More swift than al the windes that be beholding things on hye Except the dregs of vice him stay and force him styll to dwell Beneath in Corners deepe of earth amyd the raygne of Hell When thus this Lady fayre had sayd she rose and stode by me And on my head refusing I she put the Laurell tree And thence departing forth she flewe where shining starres we see ¶ Explicit media Pars. Libra The seauenth Booke MY muse a lofâ— raise vp thy self and vse a better flite MouÌ„t vp a hie think it scorn of base affayres to write More great renoune and glory more in hautye matters lyes Uiew thou y e Gods and take thy course thorowout the starrye Skyes Where spring time lastes for euermore where peace doth neuer quayle Where Sunne doth shine continuallye where Light doth neuer fayle Clowde causer Southwinde none there is nor boystrous Boreas blowes But mylder breaths y e Western windes where sweete Ambrozia growes Take thou thys way and yet somtimes downe falling fast from hye Now vp now downe wyth sundry sort of Gates aloft go flye And as some hawty place he seekes that couets farre to see The cause is fyrst before the effect the workman worke aboue The perfect thing bicause it doth eche parte in it containe And nothing lacks is stronger farre of greater force againe Therfore it makes coÌ„maunds moues and so by chalenge due The cause and Auctor eke of all it may be tearmed true But otherwyse thunperfect thing that maymde can not consist Is ouercome and moue it must euen as the perfyte list It doth obey and not commaunde and therfore must be named The effect and eke the framed worke and not the thing that framed So farre behinde it euer ought the perfect thing to goe For if vnperfite were the spring from whence all thing doe â—â—oe It were but vile and nothing wrought therof should perfect be As alwayes of thunperfect Arte vnperfect worke we se Wherfore beginnings more than one no reason forth can finde Bicause there is not to be knowne but one of perfect kinde From which the neuer fayling course and order of all things Doth come as from the Union fyrst eche other number springs Besydes it pure and syngle is that mixtures all hath made For nothing can compounded be but symples fyrst is had For fyrst it nedefull is alone the symples to be tryde And then in mixture all in one compounded to abyde Therfore no principall there is but one as I haue taught Which symple in degree we iudge and purest must be thought Whom if we think not for to liue in â—rror great wee fall If he liue not how liues the reasâ— synce by him lyue we all Doubtlesse he liâ—es and wisedome hath or else in order dewe How could he frame such goodly sightes except he all things knew Nor doubt we must but needes coÌ„fesse with mouth and eke with heart Him to be good Can he be ill of whom eche good is part Can bitter â—reames at any time from sweetest fountaine runne Or can the riuers pleasant be of bytter spring begunne For eyther nothing must be good or good must he be thought That is the spring of all the rest by whom the worlde was wrought Hym men doe call by diuers names but we that Latine wright Doe call him God and more we saye that Jupiter he hight Who fynce he is the first that was and maker of eche one Liues of himself both good and wyse receiuing state of none But all by him their states enioy who may lose that they haue Whensoeuer he lyst for to restraine the thing that fyrst
she doth appeare But fewe there be that can attaine the truth away to beare For riches to be chiefest good the greatest sort do say An other part doth honour take to be the chiefest away And diuers men in diuers things the chiefest good doe fynde But I the price abeue the rest to pleasure haue assignde And this my part I trust I can by reason good defende It is the marke that all shoote at and eke the finall ende To which the actes and dedes of men be altogither bent Euen as vnto th appointed marke the shooters shaft is sent Who euer would the earth with rakes or Seas with Ores haue tryed Or martyall power by force of armes who durst haue occupyed In fyne who euer would haue sought vertue to come vnto If pleasure then or hope thereof dyd not enforce hym so For this the chiese beginning is the midst and eke the ende Of laboures all for proofe therof thy minde a whyle attende All workes if chagent reason haue vnto some ende are donne The workmaÌ„s handes it moues therto and first in minde begonne It is But last of all the deade it selfe comes forth to lyght The ende therof is good therfore the worke doth more delight The will thereof with great delight the ende for to obtaine Doth force the labour light to be the cause is pleasure plaine For truely nothing else it is but pleasure of the minde And synce by reason harde it is to teache the rude and blinde I will attempt by simlitudes the truth for to declare Why delues the plowmaÌ„s clubbishe haÌ„d teares the earth w t share For all the heate of flaming dogge hys worke he doth not space Nor hoary winter froste Why fears the shipman not in minde The raging rage of surging Seas with threarning Rocks so blind Despisyng death at hande in hope of maste with sayly pyne Why doth the Captaine to the fielde hys manfull minde encline And uÌ„ersly doth reioicewhen as he heares the Trompettes blow With hynteng noyse of foming horse hys heart begynnes to glow Why doth it some delyght alwayes with papers pale to bee And bookes of diuers authors made with daily paine to see Certes for that that after time when labours long depart SoÌ„e gaine or same may giue him cause for to reioice in heart For if so be that fame and gaine should not the minde ascende With ioye both vertue artes withall would soone be at an ende For of it selfe the ende is sweete and for the ende is thought Both middest former facces so sweete it forceth also nought Of vyle or else of honest state the dcades do seeme to be For as the lewde lycentious man reioyseth vice to see In vertue lykewyse euermore the good mans Joyes doe stande All things therfore for pleasures sake we surely take in hande For pleasure men decline froÌ„ harmes for this they gaines require Things worthy praise or else reproche through this they doe desyre With onely this the Goddes aboue contented surely bee For profyte is for them vnmeete synce nought they lacke we see But thou perchaunce wilt say the gods with honest ioyes abounde What then If with such ioyfull goods in them no ioye is founde As if thou shouldest w t glistering golde and pearles a stocke aray An other thing here adde as oft as cause be perfect may It nedefull is the like effect from thence should then proceede When as therefore that force of lyâ—e is well disposde in deede And châ—efest good obiect to it it alwayes doth retayne That this is happiest happinesse denieth no man playne But now from out such fountayne loe is pleasure forst to runne With musick so the eares reioyce of numbers apte begunne So is the syght wyth beauty pleasde the nose with goodly smell This iudgement eke I do pronounce of other partes as well What sayst thou now to Uenus worke that creatures all doth make And this the pleasauntst pleasure is except thou truth forsake Moreouer yet both payne and griefe since greatest yls they bee Contrary eke to pleasure now by right we pleasure see To be the chiefest good deserues of contraries also The reason lyke contrary is that sad things to forgo By natures force all things do seke and pleasures do embrace Who may beleue that once wyl vs deceaue that natures grace The chiefest good therfore it is that creatures all do loue But what loue they or seeke they for but pleasaunt ioyes to proue That we must vertue seke agayne some sort there be that say By swet and colde while here we liue and pleasure cast away And after death they say we shall in perfit pleasure liue Which good to those that do him loue prepared hath to giue This voyce wyth reason cannot stande but shewes it selfe as vayne For that the soule doth after liue when death the corps hath sayne Or that it lurkes in lothsome lake of Tartares griesly den And payes the paynes of his deserts and takes rewardes as then Of former factes ought none beleue except his senses fade 〈◊〉 fooles it is your Poets mad that haue these fables made Who euer wonted were to write such foolishe fayned toyes Whereby they might delight the eares of fooles with frustrate â—yes The yrksome place they fayned haue of Stigâ—an â—iraunâ— fell Wher flames y e â—ouds of PhiegethoÌ„ that burnes with roaring yell Whereas the triple headed dog and Tisiphone doth dwell With adders arinde of payâ—ted hewe and gressly Gyaunts great wyth dreadfull darkenes doide of lyght and fyres whose flaming heat Consumes no wood where frieseth cold without the wynters space The bote without the force of oke here creketh in this place whâ—lste her wyth soules doth â—uerlode the aged Ferriman Here Sisiphus the stone torments and Tantale waters wanne The sâ—isty ristye vesselles heare matemurdring systers beare From whence the waters out do gush that kept in vaine are there Much more than I haue heare declarde these Poets pâ—lde haue taught In hell to be which are not true of children to be thought O gods how great a lacke of wit there is in euery place How prone the way to trifâ—es is and credite you this case O voide of wyt which neuer coulde by reason ought be proued Nor by no sense may be desernde with feare why are you moued Of things so vaine who credites mosâ— is most himselfe deceaued These are I say deceitfull things whereby be priestes releaued For when that once our vitall breath is faded cleane away No more we be than first we were before our natall daye O to much weake to fraile and proude O nature bolde of man whereby doest thou perswade thy selfe to liue for euer than Leaue of therefore thou lumpe of claye the yeares of gods to wyll â—ll things begonne shall haue an ende nothing remaineth styll Both cities great and mighty men and vastye realmes withall The hautiest hylles and greatest flouds doth time at length let fall And thinkest thou O fading dust for euer
whom no like could then be found by force and deadly might Of this my dart in Babilon sore wounded downe did fall What should I here the Latine Lordes and Mars his neueweâ— call To minde the Lordes of all the earth whose valeant vertue plaine Did ioyne theyr rule to Ocean seas and fame with starres to raine Could I not when me list all these â—slaine to hel throw downe Depriude theyr hands of scepâ—ors â—â—ouâ— theyr heades of regall crowne Of wordes their mouthes of sight theyr eyes of mouing members all And eke their bodies thus destroyde in filthy graue let fall Me feares the Ind the Arabian the more the Scithian fel All they whom Asy and Europe kepes in Affricke all that dwel Both kinde and place are one to me nor times obserue I than Nor maners way nor yeares esteame the good and euil man The wise the foolish dolt shall die the little sucking Will The yong and old the fayre and foule with reason like I kil And he that yonder I do se approching to my land When as his destenies permit shall feale my deadly hand These fearful words with hellish mouth this churlish thief out brayed Wherwith my senses all did fayl and I remaind affrayd My bloud therwith forsoke the vaines and left the outward part And shrouded close within my brest to succour there my heart But chiefely when this fearefull fiende had sent the plagues of Hell To them that ranged on the earth amid the croude to dwell Which knew not of that mischief great then forth abrode they fly And here and there they catche and take eche one they can come by Then bodies sicke on grounde are laide and deepe for paine they grone And many there with Sythe in hande doth death dispatch alone And passing forth she did reserue till slaughter next begunne The liues of all whom Lachesis not yet had fully spunne Thus trembling all my ioints therwith and all amased then My selfe vnto gan saye these wordes O cares O vowes of men O labours vaine deceiuing hope O seeting ioyes of minde O time that euermore dost chaunge O fading humaine kinde How vayne and how vncertayne is thys transitory life How subiect vnto euery harme of thousand euils rife Which outward shewes a pleasant face both swete and framed wel But inward O what gall what griefe what poyson there doth dwel What are we wretches here but dust with winde and rayne vpcast And like the brittle breaking glasse and shaddowes fading fast Much like to Roses that doe shewe a gorgeous gaudy face When funne doth rise when the night apears do lose their grace To day wyth myrth aliue and foote to wormes wythin a while This day in fayre and lusty plight and straight a Carrian vile Alas what doth it vs auayle to hourd vp heapes of Gold And plate to haue and clothing riche and Gems of price to holde Great realmes cities strong to guide in houses fayre to lye Aloft to loke and think himselfe ful like to Gods on hye If death do al things take from hence if we like smoke or dust As wretches fade if that so sone our pride our pompe and lust Do passe and end for euermore as I these wordes had sayd With whispring voyce my selfe vnto beholding al afrayd With quaking pace this Ghastly fiend syr Orpheus mother deare Why art thou thus she sayth aseard be bolde and of good cheare For feare is signe of beastly minde vnfyt for men is such What is the cause that shuld thee moue to feare this death so much Then aunswered I Good Lady mine nature doth force me so What liuing beast hir not abhors and seekes from hir to go Shee takes from vs both life and goods delightes and al at ones The corps to nought resolues for what remaines but dust and bones Which bones in tyme returne to dust in fine all goodly things Shee here from vs doth take away and chiefest mischiefe brings Whom would not therfore such a beast and vgley Monster feare Except his heart were made of steele Then Ioue hys daughter deare With smiling lippes began to say thou runst beyonde the white And art deceiude with forme of truth and shadow of that light It is not easy for eche one the truth it selfe to know Thys is the selfe same bowe that doth amid the great woode grow With trees of order thick embracde that misty errors hide Nor euer might thys golden twig of many men be spide But onely vnto them to whom the milke white Doues it show But I of seede celestiall borne the truth doe fully knowe And can it well to thee declare if thou to here require I aunswerde then Good lady sure I nothing more desyre We must depart from hence quoth shee come after me a while And forth she leades not far from thence where Phebus hye did smyle With beating beames vpon the hill whose pleasant shining light Did put the misty cloudes abrode and darknesse all to flight Besyde a spring we both sate downe and vnder Laurell shade Begins my guide with pleasaunt voice and thus hir wordes she made An Ape quoth she and iesting stock is man to God in skye As oft as he doth trust his wit to much presuming hie Dare searche the things of nature hid his secretes for to speake when as in very deede his minde is dull and all to weake If he be ignorant of things that lye before his feete How thinkst thou those things shal he se which God and nature sweete Within their bosomes close haue hyd yet al at fingers endes This hasty blinde vnhappy foole persuade himselfe he kendes So much himself he beares in hand of al your folishnesse The spring and chiefe this selfeloue is A darknesse great that causeth you to knowe the truth the lesse Away with this and better things thine eyes shal quickly spy And those that erst for good y e thoughtst thou shalt for good deny And those that euil now thou thinkest thou wilt not euill trowe This darknesse from thy minde expeld I wil therefore thou know That mortall state is nothing else but blathers full of winde which here and there on rolling bal enforceth fortune blinde To whome if any wytte they had should death more welcome be Than life syth liuing here all men wyth harmes oppressed be And fewe good things they here do vse not full of bytternesse which true I thinke thou wilt beleue when I shall here expresse The goods and ylles of mortall life as briefly as I may These two conferd the humaine life we playnly shall display What thing it is and whither death ought so much fearde to be But fyrst of riches wyll we speake which euery land we see Doth prayse doth seeke doth wonder at and couet instantly I wil endeuour them to blase Good Lady then quoth I If it you please this labour spare for once and long agoe This lesson learnde I perfectly Minerua taught me thoe Now forward shew some
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
should this aryse As faynting feete in trauaile and the akyng arme oft tryes The cause hereof is bloud resolued by force of feruent heate For to much mouing it inflames decayes in fuming sweate None otherwyse than Feuers fierce the creature pale consumes When bloud or other humor hote thorowout all the members fumes Doth lyfe support and body feedes which whylest it quickning makes The mouing force possessing all the body quiuering shakes The heate and heated bloud besyde doth brede a liuely spright As waters warmde w t beames of SuÌ„ne doe yelde a vapour light Thys spirite enclosed within the bowels Thorowe all the vaines doth ronne And nere to hir doth serue the lyfe in what she will haue donne But those in heauy sleepes that lye how should they mouing make As some doe in theyr steepes aryse and weapon vp doe take Some in the stable takes hys horse some wrytes as many say And some hath earst bene seene a sleâ—pe vpon the Lute to play It must be knowne that of the thing the Image doth remaine In vs of all that we doe see or senses can retaine Thys makes vs think we see the face that late we gased on And that we seeme to heare the wordes were vtred long agone These formes within the secrete celles inclosed in the brayne A vapour moues which to ascende the stomack doth constraine And minde deluded so doth moue the body styres thereby If the resemblance be of force that in the head doth lye But tayle of L ysart or of Snake that cut in two doth sprawle Doth will it moue Or force of minde that Greekes doe fansye call As they whom rage of madnesse moues or to much drinke arayes Or dreadfull dreames do cause to shake or happens other wayes Perchaunce amongst the knotty partes of thys deuided tayle The liuely spirite enclosde doth searche all meanes for to preuayle In breaking out and wynding partes doth wrye as best it may And striuing long through passage smal doth get at length away Or that same part of minde that feeles deuided doth remaine In tayle cut of and causeth it to turne and turne againe Yet I suppose that euery thing wherin no iudgement lyes Can feele no griefe nor nothing else that we can here deuise For chiefest force by which we feele from knowledge euer flowes who knowes iudgeth most feeles most and most reioysing knowes But fooles and doltes care lesse for all lesse harmde lesse fearing styll They feele not colde nor heate so much scarce know they good from ill Not for bicause it smartes therfore the tayle deuided shakes For nought it feeles bicause the streÌ„gth from which it knowledge takes Is not in it but in the head in better place did lye Wherfore the former cause I iudge the trouth to go more nye Lo thus therfore is mouing made by which all creatures go Yet in the reasons past before we put thys one thing to That sundry times the present good when it might be atchieued Doth nothing moue nor is desyred bicause t is not perceiued Thus knowledge semes of mouing cause or chiefest as we see For who desyres or sekes the thing he knowes not what to ber For will hâ—r selfe of proper force is altogither blinde And cannot any thing desyre without the light of minde By whom if she be not enformde she takes she vntowarde way And with the she we of good beguilde hir vertue doth decay Of mouing this shall here suffise nowe let vs seeke to knowe How liuing things doe waxe so great what causeth them to growe And why at certayne tyme they cease a fiery spirite doth raine Thou giuest lyfe to euery thing that carcasse doth contayne This heate doth liuely moisture feede as flame of Candell bright When soone withdraw himself froÌ„ vs the Oyle preserues in light Thys in the stomack boyles the meate wherof the finest spread Abrode the synowes bones and fleshe wyth pyth and bloud are bread And all the body doth encrease as plantes wyth showers of rayne And warmth of SuÌ„ne them comforting doth ryse and spring amaine If that this fyre be much of force and moysture equall here As much as heate shall seeme to nede the encrease shall great appere At length it makes an ende and stayes when spent is all the heate Which fading body fades as shewes in them whose yeares are great For wasted they lyke pyned Ehostes their aged lymmes doe crooke And stouping low wyth hollowed eye vpon the earth doe looke For fyre is gone and liuely heate and moysture doth decay Without the which no lyfe remaines as Lampes no longer may Giue out their light than oyle doth serue but leaues and darkenesse brings Then let vs now the mouing shewe of minde and whence it springs A thing both darke and harde to fynde but yet we will assay With all our force to touch the trouth as nere as well we may And fyrst of rage that boldneth men and daungers doth despyse Encreaseth strength and giueth force as much as shall suffise Which mouing all as desperate vpon our foes we flye And bloudy battaile to beginne with sworde in hast we hye The cause therof is bloud enflamde and heart that sendes out fyre And bitter galle abrode dispersd for Galle is house to yre And choller matter ministers to rage and fury blinde Hence comes that creatures lacking gal are not of wrathfull minde Embracing peace refuse to fight but they whose bloud doth burne And greater rage of heate retaine to anger sonest turne So youth and so such dronken mates whose heads hath brink diseased Upon a smallest cause doe snuffe the minde therfore displeased Doth bloud and choller myngle straight then hande for weapon calles And skirmishe comes thus cuts are carued and wounde wyde open falles For fyrst the minde offended is and vexed by miury Which troubled moues y e body straight by these it semes they lye That say the minde can neuer styre for if it neuer moue The body styll to stande and staye it alwayes doth behoue For diuers mouings doe declare a diuers mouer playne The Sunne doth ofteÌ„ change in course and shaddowes change againe What is the cause that Organs giue now one now other voice But hande y t shyftes from diuers kayes doth cause a diuers noyse The minde affection inwarde fyrst doth take and close concele And makes some part or other serue when she wyll it reucle Disclosing straight to it whatsoeuer within in secrete lyes To th ende that plame it may appere and open to the eyes None otherwyse than when the king vnto his faithfull frende Declares the secretes of hys minde and after doth it sende To be proclaimed in euery place that it may plaine appere Hence springeth loue for wheÌ„ the minde doth fansye pleasant gere She makes the heart a minister and so doth loue declare In heart loue wrath feare lust hope wyth ioye and also care As in a tower with minde doe dwell and these as there begonne By meanes
impute eche thing to destenye And iudge that force of fatall lawes the world is ordred by And that wyth one continual course as pageants shewes to minde Al things do moue and euery man hath here his parte assinde That he must play tyl al be done a question to be sought Right profitable fayre and hard not to be left vntaught Now fyrst therefore let vs declare that nothing here can be Wythout a cause and that the cause must of necessity Much differ from the effect synce that nothing it self doth breede No thing can of it selfe be cause nor of it selfe proceede Then infinite shall causes growe not so but yet there ought Some fyrst to be from which the rest of causes must be brought Which from the hiest must descend vnto the basest state This order then of causes we cal Destenie or Fate Which God as once predestining that all things should be so Determinde hath by his decree for euermore to go But as eche cause doth nerest come vnto the causer fyrst So all the rest it doth excel and moues and rules the worst The fyrst beginning is a cause and no effect the same The lowest state is but effect no cause we can it name The meanes that are betwene these two may names of both retayne For if of causes were no knot nor order styll to rayne If th one of thother shoulde not hang as if from heauens hye A Chayne to deepest part of Hell should hang and lincked lye Which is to vyle to be rehearsed beginnings more than one Shall seeme to be and causes fyrst must many spring thereon Then shal they stryue amōgst thēselues and often fiercely fyght So many heads for one alone doth rule require of right So neyther world should here be one nor beautifull should seeme For ordre is the beauty chiefe that we in things esteeme But some perchaunce wyl say from one beginning fyrst of all Togyther many causes seue ▪ red downward often fall As sundry sort of glistering beames the Sunne doth from him sende With certaine difference seuered of which doth not depende The one of the others force but eache from selfe same head doe fall So needes no strife nor let bycause one way they walke not all Thys order is not very yll nor much mislyketh me This sentence may be fortune true but let vs thorowly see All blindenesse from our minde expelde for minde of man cannot Attaine to lyght of trouth so sone nor in such easy sort But oftentimes doth vse to erre and hereof doth aryse Such sectes such contrary sawes he proues and he denies As reason proper is to Gods opinion is to vs No certaintie hath mortall man the trouth for to discusse Therfore if many causes be that from the fyrst doe flowe If eche of them in perfectnesse be like I seke to know No order there shal then appeare for where no chiefe doth guide No difference nor diuersity seene no order can be spyde In euery thing thou mayst perceyue a first a mydst and last No kind of thing is here that is wythout an order cast But if they al do not alike this perfectnesse auowe God hath some thing vnperfect made this can not I allowe Wherefore one perfect good effect allowe the causer fyrst The rest haue more vnperfecter as they themselues are worst For commonly most store of fruite the naughtiest tree doth bring But worst as yll than good and sowre than sweete doth ryfer spring For as eche cause is more of power and of estate more hye So more of lyfe and reason hath this purest substance nye The cause agayne of weaker force and of a baser kinde Lesse lyfe and reason doth possesse and substance lesse doth fynde As well vpon the earth appears wher al things do endure But little space where reason is scarce where no estate is pure But all of many things consistes al things on earth that bene Compounded are and myxt so that no substaunce can be sene Nor here she is esteemde a whit the honour doth remayne To such as hir do here enioy and such as hir retayne In darke some caues she hidden lyes and hereby do we fynde That fortunes goods are more estemde than vertues of the minde For substance vertue may be calde but in this worlde exilde This substaunce liues hir coūtrey fayre hir seate and mansion milde The heauens are where as she hath hir faythfull frendes of trust Goodnesse truth By this meanes tho the world is framed iust Of causes as before is sayde preieruing euery thing with during bond this chaine but God may none in peeces bring Nor force nor space of tyme it breake Of causes such is sponne What is to come what present is and what hath earst bene donne To al the which theyr force and strēgth thalmighty king aboue with certain boundes time appointes by certayne meanes to moue And needefull is it to be knowen how many causes runne To gather oft when any thing by force of them is donne Nor rashely is thys meeting made and causes mixed so But by appointed destenyes all things doe passe and go Thalmighty worke man of the worlde hath all things vndercast Assured lawes and measure delt to all the things he past Therefore it is not true that some affyrme and dare defende That nothing certayne can be founde that chance doth all things sende And God regards not mortall state But they themselues deceaue And are beguiled much to whom thys sentence here doth cleaue For truely chance is nothing else but vaine opinion blinde Not diffring much frō shapes syghtes that in our sleepes we fynde Whatsoeuer Aristotel sayth or any of them all I passe not for synce from the truth they many times doe fall Oft prudent graue and famous men in errors chance to slyde And many wittes wyth them deceiue when they themselues go wyde Examples only serue so much must errors folowed bee Let no man iudge me arrogant for reason ruleth mee She faithfull guide of wysemen is let him that seekes to fynde The trouth loue hir and followe hir with all hys might and minde And that there is no chaunce at all thys reason strong and stayde Makes me beleue for if that all as earst before is sayde By causes fixed in certaine guise and certayne time doe moue As God commaundes for perfectnesse and for the worldes behoue Least hurtfull error should destroy so fayre a worke as it what kind of place shall chaūce possesse or seate finde out to syt In doubtfulnesse and altering state surmounting farre away Both Protheus and Vertumnus to in changing theyr aray As voide so nature chance denies Uncertaine nought doth lye Within thys worlde but certaine all as nature God and skye And elaments and what of them so euer framde we see Or hath in tyme before bene wrought or euermore shall be But if that ought vncertaine were then should the minde diuine Not all things here knowe certainely but from the trouth decline
is counted plaine of death the liuely portrature Wherfore if thou shalt search the truthe with well aduised minde Thou shalt a smallest sort among so many thousande finde That with free wil do guide themselues and libertie doe vse The fault of age I ouerpasse and childrens yeares excuse And vnto those that sleeping lye I licence also giue Or them whom feuers rage doth rost or sycknesse sharpe doth grieue Of which a number great there be but greater farre away And worser eke whose fylthy minde doth vices foule aray And fonde affections makes to faint wythdrawing it with strife From reason farre and from the path of ryght and vertuous lyfe May these be counted for to haue free wyll and libertye A doubtfull thing it surely is and many it denye Wherfore thou well must vnderstande that he alone is free Whom reason rules that with payne will neuer conquerd bee Nor when the stormy tempests rage to rocks is euer thrall But stoutly sticking to the sterne doth with the hauen fall So truely earst haue certaine sayde but wisemen none we finde Whom reason ruling can correct the affections of the minde The other sort can not doe so why hath not God them delt Free wyll whych euer may be founde where reason may be felt For these are alwayes coupled styll So beastes of nature wylde Syth reason they are thought to lack are iudgde from wyll exylde But all men reason doe receiue and therfore haue free wyll For reason is the guide of minde that choseth good from ill Descerning eke the naughty facts from such as honest be And called is the syght and eye wherwith the minde doth se Such eye perhaps as Poliphaem the Poets gaue to thee Wherwyth the lymmes of thy beloued in seas thou oft didst see But naught alas and all to naught who such to shunne hath might Vlisses wyth a fiery post hath it bereft of syght And face the face that fyrst was fayre of beauty spoyled quite Or such an eye as Lynceus had that sawe in darkest night Thys eye therefore to euery man Prometheus wysedome delt But fewe it vse a very fewe that grace of loue haue felt Hereof the spring of errours doth and wickednesse aryse For if the steps of reason all should treade in nerest wyse Then peace on earthe shoulde alwayes dwell and Mars hys bloudy hande Such slaughters nor such cryes shoulde cause townes walles shuld stand And weapons framed fyrst in hell by fiendyshe furyes wrought Should tille y e field with good exchange to share and cultre brought Then Bees and Cattel swarming thick and riches of the fielde Unto the happy husbandman a great increase should yelde The golden world should then returne and eke one place containe Both man God who would vouchsafe before our eyes to raine The cause why fewe doe reason vse and wayes forbydden knowe And voide of freewill liue like beastes I wyll assay to showe A certaine part diuine in vs that minde and reason hyght There is which nature in the head hath placed a loft in syght And seruants vnto it appoints the senses that there be By meanes whereof the Skies Earth and al things it may see An other fading force there is wythin the breast enclosde By meanes wherof we moue and grow wyth helpe of heate disposde Thus hath it pleased God this straynes molests and grieues the minde And to this part a number great of seruaunts is assinde As fond delight wrath griefe and feare wyth great desire to gayne Ambition hauty harmfull thing wyth fumes that vex the brayne Wyth these his lusty souldiours he giues battayle to the minde These mates attempted Joue to vexe of fiercest giants kinde As Giges strong Iapetus and Tiphoeus monstrous sprite Enceladus yll worker and Briareus dredful wight Wyth worldly thoughtes hie heapt they vexe the part diuine aboue Except that grace from heauen hye like lightning them remoue As when the raynes are once let lose the Chariot headlong dryues And swiftly runnes to stay the course in vaine the Carter stryues The fyrst beginnings must be stopped whyle sparke but kindling lies When fyre hath rought the lofty partes and flames approch the skies Especially when Boreas blastes from Northerne Pole doth fall And rageth fierce in vayne alas for water then they call As when from top of hawty rocke some wayghty stone downe trowles What force can it of course restrayne al things wyth it it rowles Asunder crackes the mighty trees that on the mountayne springs Which at the fyrst might well be stayed wyth force of smallest things Euen so the affections of the minde if that wyth all their sway The minde opprest they do inuade them scarce can reason stay And helme and al forsaken quite wyth streame dame Reason driues In raging windes and yeldes to foe a captiue kept in gyues Therefore while vices yet be yong let them oppressed be And voyd the cause ere they waxe strong then minde and wyl is free Then conquerour thou shalt be crownd wyth Palme of Idumay But if the assault be now begonne and siege the foe doth lay And shakes wyth battrey great y e walles except beleue me well Some God wyth better grace defend Reason doth byd farewell And cannot byde so sore a brunt May we not playnly see What harmes the minde doth there sustayne where Bacchus blessings be What madnesse ofte doth spring when wine to much in stomack raynes Tell where freewyl kepes residence when drinke doth vex the braynes The sober and the fasting man of freewil is possest And doth what so euer Reason byds Againe the dronken gest The thing that he ne would ne knowes he alwayes doth the same Which deedes he sobre doth repent and sorroweth eke wyth shame So wyth affections minde is dronke and in none otherwyse Than wine that topsey turnes the brayn when it doth vpward ryse It troubled is and darkd in mystes Thus he and none besides Hath freedome and his minde at wyl whome reason only guides Who all affections ouercommes and wholly doth restrayne He that from youth doth vertue vse may well to this attaine Such force hath vse nothing more strōg The other sorte are wayde In manner like to brutish beasts as true the Poet sayd Eche man his owne delight doth drawe Freewyll in many opprest And hindred is wherefore who list Freewyl for to possesse Let hym resyst while yong they be thaffections of the minde And them to reason subiect make and brydie vse in kinde For flesh agaynst the sprite rebels and wyth continuall warres Doth it molest The soule most pure doth couet styll thestarres But lumpish flesh doth shunne the skies and earthly things desyres For earth it onely is and into earth at length expyres Thus two so farre contrary things hath God compact in one Admit thou art wyse and onely rulde by reasons force alone And freewyll perfectly enioyest shall destnie then beare sway Yea more to Fates thou subiect arte and more shalt it
obey For destny is the wyl of God where wyth the prudent wight Agrees and doth as it commaundes The fond and naughty sprite On the other part abhorres his lawes and shunnes the Lordes decrees But thou wylt say then is he free not rulde by destenies No but two worser lordes he serues and such as vilest be As wickednesse and folishnesse his syster in degree Though this the wyll of God doth cause but that which doth permit And not the wil that doth commaunde for of two sortes is it whereby appeares that al thyngs are subiect to desteny whether they be of good estate or of a vile degree For mischiefe desteny permits and good by force doth send And God him self cōmaūds frō whome doth desteny descend wyth reasous like persuaded some to this effect do say O mortal men liue ioyfully while that you haue a day And doleful cares from heart expel ne trouble once your thought wyth things that present here you see or after shall be wrought By fyxed law shall all things fall and passe by order sure Wherefore should griefe or foolish feare to sadnesse you procure Eche man hath here his lot assinde which written secretely Wythin his breast he alwayes beares yet nothing knowes thereby But profe thereof doth come to light vpon the fatall day When as experience doth reueale that erst in secret lay what nedeth sobs or wayling teares for back can neuer runne Celestial sawes nor nothing chaunge that God hath wrought or done For order best and perfect course if it should altred be It shuld be worse which may not chāce or better in degree But nothing of more perfect state than perfect can be found A doubt both great and maruellous doth spring vpon this ground For if al things as late I sayd are vnder Destenie Why frowneth God on some and lookes on others graciously why is not fortune like to al why seeth some happier dayes Than other do and nature why seemes she to some alwayes A stepdame sharpe and vnto some agayne a mother dere This knot it semeth good that we should breake asunder here By fault and by desert of vs a number thinke that this Doth chaunce and by decree of God such as haue done amysse For to be plagued and vertuous men good Fortune to receue But this by no meanes can be true nor I do it belene For what haue brutish beastes deserued what fault in trees can be Yet fortune vnto euery beast doth shew diuersity The theefe doth some conuey some dye vpon the Butchars knyfe Some wolues or sycknesse frost or flud some age depriues of lyfe Some leade their life more pleasantly and some wyth greater payne And vnto euery kynde of tree hys fortune doth remaine The east wynde cracks a sonder thys and rootes doth vpwarde turne Some sort are cut for diuers things and some in fiers burne And lyghtning spoyles an other sort To euery fishe and beast A certaine fortune is assynde by destenies beheast Yet neyther tree nor beast can synne And oftentymes besyde Misfortunes great the good man doth and vertuous man abyde On the other part to naughty men doth fortune fauour showe And graunts them eke in worldly welth and honors hye to flowe Thus destnye lookes not on desertes therfore some other way Or cause we must attempt to finde Perhaps some man wyll say The wyll of God is cause of all and seekes none other where Thys doth not yet suffise we must go syft the truth more nere For God synce he is wyse and best will not the thing permit That reason lackes but chiefest things commaunds as seemes most fyt Wherfore we must say otherwyse eche cause of causes all As from the fyrst it farther is so more vnlyke doth fall Syth God therfore is alwayes pure and euer one shal be The last of causes that from him is farthest in degre Shall double be and diuers seeme and worke shall alwayes frame In sundry sortes and altring state and this is euen the same That rules the earth and euery thing that earth doth here containe Therfore nothing on earth is seene that certaine is or plaine Syth fortune hir vnsted fast wheele doth turne in sundry sort And mortall men wyth diuers chaunce to guide hath chiefest sport But yet why smyles she so on some and frownes on other sort Why giues she some a lyfe wyth cares and some a princely port The cause of this is harde to knowe as if we should require To know the cause of raging heate we feele in flaming fyre Or wherfore worwood bitter is why snowe doth shewe so white wherfore some herbs haue force to hurt and others healing might And why some trees beare sūdry branch why in such shape they growe Or why some beasts haue subtile sense and some are dull and slowe Wherfore y e strawes doth Amber draw why Loadstone lyfteth hye The yron peece why it can not doe so the Diamonde nye Such things hath God in secrete shut and vnto mortall braine Appointed boundes the which to passe mans wyt doth striue in vaine As if the potter doe deuide in sundry partes his clay And it departed thus abrode to sundry purpose lay Why rather he of thys than that a pot or dishe doth bake Or bason broade Of thys a Crock of that a pytcher make Doth reason moue hint thus to doe or reason none at all But only wyll as he thinks best so frames he great and small T ys harde to know y e workmans mind Euen so who seekes to knowe Why fortune some exalteth hye and bringeth others lowe A thing to hye he reacheth at for God hath giuen powre Of earth to hir and of the world hath made hir gouernour That what she lyst shee may perfourme the force of desteny Excepted still for euery thing is gouerned therby why should not she doe what she lyst what law should hir restraine Ought seruants lawes for to appoint their Lordes for to constraine we all hir seruants truely are whyle we enioy this lyght And must in euery thing obey the pleasure of the spright Yet of our soules she hath no powre whose roote in heauen standes Thys onely God exempted hath from out thys tyrants handes All other things in earth or seas as she shall best deuise God suffers frely to be done both good and ill likewyse But some wyll say God then is cause of euery euill act And so vniust may well be calde for he that doth the fact And he that suffers it to passe doe both one fault commit And both lyke punnishement to haue the law adiudgeth fit Wherefore if God such illes on earth doth suffer for to raine And when he well may them forbydde yet doth not them restraine He shall be thought the cause of ill and mischiefe to embrace Thys part I also aunswere shall if God doe graunt me grace First therfore with attentiue minde it must be noted well That causes some be base and small and some againe excell In
worthinesse before the rest as in a battayle mayne Lieuetenants are and Captaines stout the rest of common traine These causes chiefe aboue the rest in wondrous sort assignes Thalmighty Lord that guides aboue the Starres the starry sygnes Who lyues in euerlasting lyght aboue the Heauens hye That at hys beck doth cause to turne the motions of the skye To euery cause assigning force and whereto they shall tende With certaine boundes encloseth them the which may none transcende And synce he wysely all things made of force it followe must That euery thyng continuallye keepe course and order iust For things that once are rightly framed and fault doe none receaue Ought not in tract of any times their wonted course to leaue The order thus of euery thing can neuer altred be Bicause thalmighty Lorde hath made all things in iuste degre If then the sprite that guides the earth be naught or worke amisse It is bicause the basest cause and farthest of is this From causer fyrst and lyght remoued a large and ample space And therefore vnto darknesse blynde the nerer hath hys place And onely shadowe shewes of truth which God doth so permit Bicause the state of all the world and order asketh it For as the daye determinde is by darknesse of the night And things contrary ended are by force of others might So sort and course of causes good as reason doth require In vyle and wicked cause must ende and fynally expyre which wycked kingdomes gouerne shal and mischiefes vile shall guide Hence discorde euermore proceedes wyth brawles and minde to chide Strong battailes frayes false diseyt with fyres and slaughters great Theftes wyles with nede robberies and plagues with raging heate Great earthquakes stormes tempests great of sycknesses such store So great a sort of perilles vile and daungers euermore And finally what harmes to hap in any place we knowe From thys so wretched cause Prince of all the earth doth flowe Full truely earst alas did say the famous Hermes wyse This world a heape of harms doth seme where euery mischiefe lyes Bicause the diuell that on earth the chiefest stroke doth smite Is mischieuous and euermore in cruelty doth delight For as the first of causes is the spring of all good things So is the last the fountayne chiefe from whence all mischiefe springs Wherefore if lecherours on earth beare al the rule and sway If Asses sxt in seate as Kings in pompe of proud aray If charge of sheepe commytted is to wolues of rauening kinde If Harâ—ots in the Churches dwel and men of monstrous minde If that the holy rytes of Christ the hands vnpure doth fyle If Heauen and purging place Sir John doth sell wyth greedy guile More if vnpunnished such crimes are styll before our eyes The fault not in thalmighty Lord but in this Diuell lies Whome fortune commonly we name and Pluto oft we call But vnto him an apter name Sarcotheus fyt doth fall For vnto him the power of flesh and guiding is assinde Him serues all such as loue them selues â—o much wyth fleshly minde Of him the bodies are therefore in synne they alwayes driue And to the soules as enimies contrary styl do stryue For of the heauens commes the soule and from the starry Skyes But earthly are the bodies here and heauens do despyse This same Sarcotheus thoe that guydes the lowest partes of all Such holy men as do despise the â—oyes â—errestrâ—all To vertue bent and Godly life he hates and styl pursues And vexeth grieueth them molests as commonly doth vse The naughty Prince and cruel King alwayes for to oppresse The wysest men and such as do ercell in vertuousnesse For vertue of the wicked men is euermore enuied Al things their enimies hate and feare and shunne from them asyde Therefore the Diuel many harmes prouâ—deth for the meeke And them whose mindes do mouÌ„t aloft and hearts do heauen seke Ne would he haue his malice seene for if he should be knowne Al men would him detest as head from whom al ylles haue flowne And bloudy butcher of our kinde him al should iustly hate And cursing cal him cruel beast deceyuer of our state Therefore he craftely lies hydde and from the wyse man flies Least he be knowne ne feares he Moles but leapes from Linceus eyes So theues do vse and wicked men alwayes the light to flye And in the darkest tyme reioyce that none their mischiefe spye Hereof it commes as often as men feele aduersity Al ignorant wyth blindnesse and of minde oppressed be For ignorance is causer chiefe of errors al that fal Thinking with anger and complaynt the guyde of goodnesse al Doth vex theÌ„ so they straightway curse his hâ—e and holy name The wicked Diuel daunceth then and grinneth at the same And ioyes to see himself vnknowne and mischiefe close to lye And that he thus hath power to hurt and no man could it spye A foe vnto â—halmighty God he is and ennimy By whome from heauen tumbled down in chaynes he here doth lye Enclosde betwene the earth and Mone and there he holdes his rayne Wherfore O wretched mortal men at length apply your brayne To know the cause of al your griefes from whence such ylles do flowe And heauy harmful things do hay your butcher learne to know For this Sarcotheus this is he that plagues you in such sorte That of your harmes greuous grefes doth make his chiefest sport None otherwise than Mars his child great realmes in thraldome brought Wyth death of wretâ—hed men or beastes a pleaâ—ant pastyme sought The Noble men the Gentlemen the commons all syt styll In diuers roomes assigned them as Othaâ—s lawes doth wyll Then enters in before them all the cutters for to fyght Or else some other yeldes hys lymmes to beastes thereon to byte The Lion or the Tiger stout or else some fierâ—â—r kinde Should at this play present himselfe to please the peoples minde Wyth death mangled much w t wound from whence the bloud doth flow Oft vnto some of others smart a great delight doth grow Wherefore they do most wickedly that rayling thus do brawle And dare blaspheme thalmighty Lorde the cause of goodnesse all From whome as from himself no yll can any tyme proceede Except contingently as Sunne doth darcknesse euer breede As oft as vnder earth it slydes and absent fyre we see Encreaseth colde yet cloud in Sunne nor colde in Fyre can be Wherfore I maruel much that some whose Learning is not smal Do say that he offended is or wrathful him do cal And that he plagueth vs as oft as we do him offend That milde and Lord of mercies is that goodnesse al doth send And that from him doth warres begin wyth plague and famine sore If that our deedes could him offend what thing vnhappier more Than he in al the world were found â–ª for euery day and houre We crimes commit and blasphemies out of our mouthes we poure Then surely should he neuer ioy nor
rest in quietnesse Nor God should happy be if that as oft as we traâ—â—gresse He should be wroth â–ª moued with dedes of such as synfuâ—â—be But God can not be vexe or harmd if we the truth wyl se For of such might and perfectnesse of God the nature is And distant euen so farre is it from our iniquities That we from him do differ more and farder are by much Than is from vs the Asse the Flye the Flea or worse than such How then can we such wretches vile offend a Lord so great Or by what meanes may we him harm and force him thus so freat Is not this God of passïons voyd and free from griefe or payne And thereby liues in blessed state and alwayes doth remayne Doth it becom a Prince to fume when foles do fondly prate Or rather them for to contemne seemes it a giants state Wyth little children for to fight since he knowes al things wel And doth the things to come foresee I thee besech to tel Ought he such things for to create as should his pleasure spot Wherby he should be after grieued or rather ought he not That helpes the world to help himself or tel if thus diseased He willes it so if he wyll so he is no whit dyspleased But rather ioyes If he would not why doth he it permit Or is he not omnipotent he is we al graunt it Then ought he not to suffer it but yet he doth we see Whereby no kinde of griefe he feeles as reason teacheth me But leades his life in quietnesse Here thou perchaunce wylt say If that our synnes him not displease wyth al the force we may Let vs runne headlong into vice and neuer sinne forbeare Not so but to these words of mine giue thou attentiue eare And vnto thee of truth strayghtwayes the gates I shall disclose When any man doth synne then forth away he stinging goes From this same spring of good leaues both right and light and peace Wherby the synner euermore hys harmes doth still encrease Such is the state of contraryes that how much thou doest flye From one vnto the other straight thou doest approche more nye So he that synning flyes from God runnes to Sarcotheus next Whose yoke when he hath once put on with griefes he sore is vext And as the tyraunt doth commaunde is plagued in sundry wyse Thus no man synnes but punnishment for hym prepared lyes Yet God is neuer cause of ill as I haue sayde before As of hymselfe and properly But he that synnes therfore doth with his owne consent Unto the hangman giue himselfe to haue his punnishment But hereof springs two crabbed doubts for if that synne be cause Of al our mischiefe and our ylles and our vnhappy sawes Why often doth the wicked man his lyfe in pleasure trayne And dyeth wel the vertuous man doth many griefes sustayne And endes at length in misery Besydes before is taught That by no fault nor our deserts things good do chaunce or naught But rather seemes it from the power of certayne sprite to flowe Who guides the Seas and al the earth and ayre possesseth lowe How speake I thus in contraries my wordes do disagree But reader wel thou shalt discerne the trouth and verity And darknesse from thy mynd thou shalt behold farre of to flye If these my words thou wilt vouchsafe to heare attentiuely Know therefore double good to be one as the Commons wil The other as the wisemen iudge So of two sortes is ill The opinion of the common sort is worser euermore For grosse and doâ—â—she is their braine of iudgement lacking store wherfore the goods of body here and such as fortune gaue These onely they doe wonder at and these they seeke to haue But now the goods that in the minde are founde for to remaine They either know not what they meane or else they count them vaine The wyse man on the other syde the onely goods of minde Doth seeke to haue and doth despyse the rest and other kinde Thus followed we before the minde of rude and common men And as such people vse to speake so was my talke as then But from the rude and common sort my minde doth differ now As wyse men iudge of good and ill at thys tune I allowe And in such sort I say no good vnto the wicked man May chaunce and to the vertuous sort no euill happen can Which plainely will I now declare and clerely shall appere Fyrst thys it nedefull is to knowe what vice or cryme is here Is of the minde a sicknesse sore nor men are onely syck In body here but minde aye feeles hir wounde and greuous prick No lesse in force than body doth Thus euery euill wight Is syck bicause hys will is syck and iudgement is not right Whereby the wretch y e harmeful things more worth than good esteemes And sweter aye the filthyest factes to hym than honest semes Which if hys minde wyll were sounde coulde neuer wicked be But iust and vertuous should be found in thys they disagree And as the body all is ill when any of these twayne Diseased is with maladie the heart or else the braine So so alas the whole estate of soule is euer ill WheÌ„ as these two with vice are harmde the minde and eke the wyll As pleasaunt meate to stomack syck doth seme vnpleasaunt aye And protytes nothing vnto hym that sycknesse doth assay So sycke the soule no good thing can the wicked man come by Nor nothing profytes him at all which true I thus wyll trye Some men in lawes expert we see but full of subtiltie And couetous vniust and one that wayes not honesty What profites hym hys learning here what good gaines he therfore Alas he wretches doth beguile and spoyles hys Clyents poore And many other doth he hurt Learning vnto the naught Is lyke a sworde vnto the man that mad hath it vp caught For all things doth the wycked man abuse and make vnpure To others harme shame to himselfe and hatred doth procure And in his feete the thornes he set with anguishe often goes Or else he feareth them wyth hurt whom he hath made hys foes Shall then hys learning good be calde which doth so many blame And hurt like stinging snake ne spares the owner of the same And so of other faculties that yll men occupie Estemed them to be as good lyke reason doth dente But now the wycked man is riche wyth Golde and Jewels store Are not these riches good not so tell me the cause wherefore Lo here I tell bicause he doth abuse them filthily He kepeth hores and surfetteth and baudes therewith doth by With money gredy boyes corrupts and wyth great gyftes assayes The chastitie of maidens poore that happen in hys wayes And so that he may bring to passe what lust doth hym persuade Regardes no whit what lawes of men or Gods precepts doe trade Who if he once be couetous what crime dare he not doe
Thys wolfe w c bloudy mouth doth ragâ— eche folde to come vnto And runneth headlong into vice hys misch efe to contriue And euery where he followeth harde as vyle desyre doth driue Nothing may worse be suffered than fooles in welthy state Than riche men to be couetous than ill men fortunate Thus ryther lyke to beastes he doth with fleshely pleasures go Unto himselfe an ennimye and to hys purse a foe Or else an other Tantalus hys goods to much doth spare And heapes vp all ne knowes for whom these heapes he doth prepare And as the swine to his owne bsâ— himselfe he doth not feede But many mo who fruites of toyle doe snatche away with speede Wherby appeares no goods to be the riches of the yl But if he stoute and sturdy be and stomacke haue at wyll What doth he theÌ„ he stratght wil braul and with hys mighty yowre Now one now others shall he harme and mischiefe euery howre Most commonly a wartare goes or else becomes a chiefe That Tygarlyke by others bloud he may receiue reliefe Both warres weapons fierce he loues for mischiefe not for prayse whereby he to his countrey gettes both losse and shame alwayes Stout personage void of vertuous mind puts many men to paine Lastes lyttle time and seldome doth to aged yeares attaine But what nedes many wordes hereiâ— syth these exampies may Suffise the trouth therof to shewe and clerely to display Now meete it is wyth good aduise to searche if ought can be That harmes the iust and holy men as many iudge we se Sure harde it is yet boldely will I thereto trudge apace Presuming of Apolloes helpe and of my Muses grace Fyrst euery good man nedes must be of soule and minde both sounde Though sycknesse in hys body rage or ache in limmes be founde Least will and iudgement tyght in him doe lacke or not agre For voide of iudgement right wyll no vertuous man may be These two are the foundations wheron doth vertue syt Such men whatsoeuer they possesse doe iustly order it And therfore is their learning good their substance and their strength And finally whatsoeuer they possesse and haue at length For in the greacest sort of things the vse of them we se Is it that chiâ—fly causeth them both good and ill to be And if so be thimmortall Gods of men haue any care They chiefely ought such to defende as sust and vertuous are Which if they should not doe they semde all voide of reason cleare Unworthy cke of odour sweete of Church or seruice here Wherfore I doe not se what thing can harme the vertuous man Ne yet what ill in body or in minde he suffer can Syth God him kepes and norisheth and with his mighty arme Doth for him fight and sets him safe from euery kinde of harme For who helpes not or who doth not defende his frende at neede whensoeuer he can if that he doe beare him good wyl in deede But yet sometimes the good man semes to liue in misery To suffer nede and sicknesses and great aduersity When as in deede he is not good but playes the Hipocrite Wherof a number shalt thou finde that vnder simple plight Do secret hide their poysoned heartes and woluish natures playne And foolish men do oft beguile while they do vertue fayne And therfore god who knowes y e hearts and secrets of the minde Preserues him not nor loueth him But we wyth iudgement blinde And doltish head deceyued wyth sygne and shaddow of the right Think then the iust man suffers hurte and liues in woful plight Alas how often false and fond are founde the iudgements blynde Of men and eke how ignorant of truth is mortal minde Al please themselues and euery man in his conceyt seemes wise By this we cause the Goddes to laugh hence errors most do rise But here admit the iust man feeles both griefe and sicknesses And leades his life in pouerty and aye in great distresse Exiled from his countrey farre or pent in pryson vile Or vext wyth other casualties doth he take harme this while No for in suffring of such things more clerely shine he shall Al to the best to Godly men as God commaundes doth fall And as Physitians vse to giue the byttrest medcines oft Unto the sicke to bring them health and rayse them vp aloft So oftentymes God tries the iust to stirre them vp thereby That so he may them more compel their vertue to apply As pleasure makes men foles naught so payne doth cal to minde And chaseth vice a bytte to synne a spurre to vertnes kinde Seest thou not golde in fyry flame more precious to be made And ground more ferule for to be by edge of churlish spade And standing waters to corrupt On yron cast thine eye Is fayrer made by occupyings and rusts if it do lye Thus diuers things there are that vext receyue a clearer state As chiefly vertue that when as hir blackest mischiefes mate Appeares most bright as in the darke the fyre more fayrer shewes wherfore no kinde of griefe at al the good man euer knowes Or if he suffers ought his pa â–ª cience gets him greater gayne And medcine though it bitter be doth cause relcase of payne And least some man should think that I do tryfies fayne in minde The thing that holesome others feele is poyson to some kinde So vnto some wines hurtful are and flesh a harmfull meate So wormwood vnto many health doth gyue and pleasure greate So heate doth Snow and wax and I se consume and melt away which heat doth harder make agayne the earth or potters clay So many such in sundry states do worke in diuers kinde How eft the same wordes some delight that vex anothers minde Al things to al sortes are not lyke the wines that best we deeme If they in musty calke be kept both tart and naught do seeme Unto the sound are al things sound but such as sycknesse haue Them holesome meates doe sometyme harme and almost bring to graue So to my matter to returne the ylles of body than Or stings of fortune hurtful be vnto the euyl man But good and also necessary for such as vertuous be By which although they hurtful seeme they gayne more hye degree These words for this tyme shal suffise for now this booke to ende My Muse commaundes Chiron doth vpon my Pen attende Who coueteth of state of man to write and fashtons rife And open to disclose abrode the vestry here of lyfe Now therfore nedeful is for me my Muses tunes to ceasse And silent in the sacred woods to rest my selfe in peace And on the roofe of learnings lodge on hye to hange my harpe Tyll that these tymes be ouerpast and doubtful seasons sharpe Tymes much to be bewaylde wherein the discorde that doth broyle Among the states all Italy wyth warres doth seke to spoyle Whereby doth Rome lament hir cafe hir housholdes layd on ground Ticinum Narnia Melphis eke this fall
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
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