had the game possest in pawes Anenst a Corke he taught hir tricks of wanton louers lawes She cald and shrikt and I as wood would strayght her ayde haue borne But sore afrayd I was to meete the shagheard horsons horne Nor once I durst my enimy try his pactence for to proue How oft she beckes and byds me come wyth eyes that rowling moue And of her self she calles me thus and fast begins to twine Her armes so white about my necke like Juy or the Uine That wonted are their neighbor trees wyth winding course to brace And fast the wanton bytes my necke and softly on the face Wyth hand in sport she smites me oft and by her trouth she sweares That none on earth but me shee loues nor none good wyll she beares But yet am I not such a foole that I holde this for trewe For women all in lies excell and when wyth fawnings newe The naughty queanes begin to fliere the more thou oughtest afrayd To be these words in song he spake and more ve would haue sayd But seuen wolues by chaunce therwith came creping close the way From rockes adowne amyd the trees desirous of their pray And on the flocke they runne now these now those they slea and byte And mouthes in bloud they stain againe the masty curres they fyte Wyth barking boughing noyse to beat their enimies from the ground A noyse full greate made in the dale wyth roaring cry doth sound Then both the shepheardes rise in haste the wager quite vndone Wyth sling and staues of Oke in hand togither both they runne And I behinde alone remaynd and forth another way With doutfull minde and diuers thought I went as farre as may The brasen canon cast his stone at thrice and there a spring That spouted vp wyth bubling sandes where thicke the Plantrees cling I found and round about the grasse full grene it doth embrace Wyth seates of sandy Tophus stone I gesse it was the place Where Fayries set in Sommers rage when Dogdayes heat doth glowe Not farre from hence I saw me thought a Seruice tree to growe Whose fruite did make y e brāches bend and therto fast I went For ripe I them perceaude and some with hast in hand I hent And eate them vp desyring then with water for to slake My burning thirst and to the well my iourney forth I take And downe I bowe my self and there my lippes in water fyne I dipt and whilst I drinke the stones in Cristall waters shine Whilst these are done a yong mā down from heauens to me sent That Goddesse good Arete fayre of me not negligent Wyth falling flight he cuttes the ayre more swifter much he flies Than haukes that striue by force to take the pray before their eyes And straight to me he cōmes that then wyth weary limmes did rest Amid the grasse he bids god den then vp my selfe I drest And worship there to him I make He passing man in fame I am did say Aretes sonne Timalphes is my name My mother hath me hither sent that al that doth remayne Behinde vnfolde I may disclose to thee in order playne Then both togither downe we syt and thus he gan to say The woman and hir boy that stode on left syde yonder way Thou knowst my mother told y e plaine now restes there for to tell What hight the woman and the boy that on the right hand dwell Hir Venus men do cal and say that of the salt sea sud She then created was when that olde Saturne in the flud Unkinde his fathers stones did cast so sayd the Greekish sorte A people fansies fyt to fayne and lies for to reporte Vranius hir of troth begat of Lopades by rape Vranius syre of euery thing than whome of larger shape Was Atlas not nor yet the fierce Enceladus so strong Nor gorbellied Typheus huge nor all the Giants long That euer earth did yet bring vp Nine heads him nature toke Whereof the highest is voyd of eyes and Westward styll doth loke Gaynward the East the other stand aboue a thousand eyes The second hath and on a peece doth al the rest suffise His right hand Northward out he casts the left to South he sendes With both his hands y e world he metes his feete the flock of fendes Doth touch his head the skies doth rech a shepheard rich in deede Aboue al men of euery flocke through al the earth to feede He puttes them out the number would of them excede if not That monster Pamphagus his sonne with greedy rauening throte Should them deuoure continually wyth Attropos his wife This Venus now Vranius got and ioynde in wedlock life To one Pedogenes a God and bad they should encrease This is that Venus wythout whome the vse of earth would cease And al the world wyth bryers thick vnseemely should be thought Hir God hath ordeynd that she myght the losse which nature brought Ful recompence which God appoynts that hurtful can not be What then of them shall I reporte content with chastitie That fayre encrease do not esteme but voyd of issue die And leaue no signes of them behinde 〈◊〉 they sinne assuredly And if the truth may here be sayd vnworthy byrth him giues Nature of whome not one is borne vnworthy eke he liues By whome another hath no life Yet they whome sicknesse let Or other meanes do them constrayne no children for to get Opprest with cursed pouerty do feare that they shall see Their children begge intend saincts life of whome but fewe there be Let them refraine good leaue they haue but many wyl no wyfe That they may others efte defile and lead a lechours life And for bycause that more they might the common sort beguile Under pretence they giue them selues to sacred things a while And churches haunt and priests of God they counted are to be They diuers lawes garments strange do vse and thinke to see The heauens hie with scraped crowne cleane things the beastes do flye And after things vncleane they runne while as the panche they plye And giue themselues to drowsy reast which both do foster vice Stale Uirgins are they thought to be while close they cast the dise The darke night al in vice to spend their mindes they whole apply None truely vse a Uirgins life but such as come thereby When croked olde vnlusty age or sicknesse lore them fret Or restlesse payne of carking minde or gift of God then let Al ouerplus from out the corps doth nature cleane expel Hereof it cōmes that in night dreames sometimes doth Venus dwel In dreames that shew the ioyful arte and pleasaunt sporte in deede Let them more chaste than Sibels be or Nunnes of Uestal weede Of two which worthier is I aske estemed for to be The barraine bowes that frutelesse fade or else the fertile tree The ground that giueth good encrease or sand where nothing growes O thoughts of men of none effect O fond and foolish vowes Apply your selues not to despise
weare For who is free lawes kings crimes haue al thing subiect here And eche man serues for hope of gayne or else wyth force constraynd Al beastes as sone as they are bred with lymmes are straight sustaynd And walke abrode immediatly where man is nothing so But long his mouth and minde he lacks and strength of limmes to go Much like a sounding picture made with crying neuer styll Disturbing al men night and day with voyce and waylings shrill And when on limmes he stiffer stands and words can wel pronounce Then bound he is and suffers threates then maisters on him bounce With lashing strypes and ofte his syre oft mother on him layes Sometime his brothers buffets flye sometime his stepdames frayes with blowes not few that stepsyre giues and when this age is past Then lusty youth approching coÌ„mes and strength increaseth fair Now from his mouth he shakes the bit now councel none he heares He rageth now with furious mode and burnes in youthful yeares With rage and riot runnes he mad and rash without aduise No counsell will he take therein but wytty sawes despise No daungers now he doth esteme so he the thing obtayne Whereto lasciuious lust him moues and force of wilful brayne Neglecting lawes he brawles fyghtes and braynsicke runnes astray The greatest parte of youth are now with surfets led away A fewe whome feare or shamefastnesse or wysdome doth restrayne Their youthfull dayes vprightly leade and voyd of vicious stayne Now grauer age and wiser coÌ„mes and cares with hir she brings And labours hard then toyles the man about a hundred things And al the meanes he can he sekes his liuing to prouide At home he neuer ydle stands but here or there must ride In towne or else at fielde he works with labour great and payne His wife his children and his men wherby he may sustayne Alone for al he careth then he tastes no daynty meate Nor quier sleepes but forward nows him driues ambition great And giues him rule in common wealth where while for honours hie The foole doth gape he malice doth and mischienes great come by Then wrinkled age wyth hoary hayres encrocheth in apace The body fades the strength abates the beauty of his face And colour goes his senses fayle his eares and eyes decay His taste is gone some sicknesse sore frequenteth him alway Scarce chawes his meate his tothlesse chaps scarce walks w t staffe in hand His croked olde vnweldy limmes whereon he scarce may stand The minde like wise doth â—eele decay now dotes he like a childe And through his weake and aged yeres is wisdome quite exilde Eche age therefore his mischiefe hath but mischiefes more there be That doth belong to euery age to al of eche degree Sometime doth colde to much them vex and Snowes that flakey flye And Northern Boreas winde so brym when Ise doth hang full hie On house and when the waters depe congealed styll do stay Now raging heate of Sommer burnes while Sunne doth kepe his way Through blasing breath of Lion fierce the fields depriude of greene The grouÌ„d by drythe doth gape for rain and moysture none is seene The hearbs grasse their lines resigne the Pooles and Fennes be dry Nowe hunger pricks nowe thirste doth greue and dearth doth make theÌ„ cry Who can in verse declare to men the sicknesses that raynes In mortal life the Agues hote the griefe and raging paynes That ouer al the body runnes eche member poyson feeles The hand the syde the syght is vexe and al from head to heeles Doth griefe and sicknesse sore sustayne Why do I them resight Why seke I here the Cranes to tell in Strimon flouds that light Or number great of Swans that swim in streames of Troian land Oft times the minde doth lose his state by hearbs or Witches hand Or when at sacred Ceres feast some fiende in brest doth lye Or when possest wyth Bacchus force abrode with rage they fiye Though griefe w t yre and couetousnesse ambition and delight As much the senses do confound as doth of wine the might Procuring darknesse to the minde If truth we therfore say Al dronke with beastly affects of minde are most men at this day But fewe alas there can be found that reele not here and there That can discerne what they should do wyth beames of eyesight clere And guide them selues by reasons rule Here of aduisedly One sayd the number endlesse was of fooles abrode that flye For who nedes not Helleborus that giues the purging stooles But seuen wise the Grekes could finde among ten thousand fooles The nurse and dam of mortal kinde dame Folly sure is thought Wythout whose grace all thing woulde fade and men wold here do nought She Captayne chief are wars begunnè and al that thereto long As armour bright and Targets fayre with Ancents eke among Where colours faire abrode doe blase wyth sundry sort of beastes Of hir comes playes and daunces fyne and dronken Bacchus feastes All nice delightes and wanton gestes wyth sutes of fonde aray From hir doth come w t heapes of bokes compyled day by daye The floudes of trifles fonde doe flowe by hir and euery thing Most part at least that man here doth proceede from such a spring But now the wofull hurts and harmes and dolefull destenye That man sustaines can none declare though eloquent he be Now drownde in fluds here sinks theron and vnto fyshes great The symple wretche of soule depriude becomes a dainty meate An other downe from house doth fall and shewes a tumbling point And through hys hast receiues a clap that crackes hys chiefest ioint Or batters sore his tender limmes and some the lightnings smite Or tempest kils on some againe the falling house doth light And doth vnlode him of his braines some fier fries to death Wyth hurtfull herbs or Mushroms vile some yelde their vitall breath And some when as to fast he eates while gredy guts doe gripe Doth ouercharge his peece with lumps that stops hys drinking pipe How many teares the raging beast with teeth something to keene With Iron shoes of Horses flame how many hath bene seene And many goarde w t wilde Bulls horne that roring mad doth bring What shuld I shew the daungers great that man to man doth bring No beast he needeth more to feare than fellowes of his owne So many knaues and theeues hereby and persons vile are knowne So many witnesse false that beare so many vicious slaues So many liuing on the spoyle and cut throte swearing knaues Disturbing reast of mortall men and in none other plight Than doth the merry beastes disturbe the Lionesse in syght He with hys tongue procureth harme he with hys sworde doth fray The greatest sort with craft doth hurt one robbes in open way An other filcheth priuily some sort there also be That vnder cloke of frendship strong or of Hypocrisye Such men deceiue as they doe knowe to be of credite light All men almost O wicked kinde
in others harme delight The brother scarce may brother trust eche man his friende must feare The father of hys sonne in doubt doth liue sure Hell is here The furies and the stinking flouds that lye in Lumbo lake The gaping grenning Helhound wood and all that Hell doth take Sleepe only peace to man doth bring amid his fleering life Nothing than this if dreames fray not more sweete or voide of strife For cares and labour it extles and with his pleasant wings The wretched body resting brodes and sweere estate him brings Yet nature seemes thys rest to hate and ordainde hath hereby The stinging Gnat and byting Flea to vexe continually With twinging prick this pleasant ioy whereby both night and day Might mischiefes euer present be More better farre away Therefore is death than picture hys For who so once the seas of lyfe in ioyfull bote hath past And in the quiet hauen fayre his Anker safe hath cast With mery heart doth laugh to scorne the blastes of raging wyndes With tempests black and Leucoths hed which floury Garlandes byndes Doth honor much and Melicâ—rt with giftes he doth salute And safe amid the shore he ioyes with playes of sundry sute Death endes al pain al bonds doth lose death causes feare to flie And daungers all by death are forede to rest eternally And as no griefe nor paine thee vext before thy Syre thee got So shalt thou feele no griefe nor paine when death hir dart hath shot Who can conceiue the times as yll he felt hys byrth before Or iudge of dayes he neuer saw or shall see neuer more Or who will once dispraise the night as wretched nought or yll Wherein possest of deadly sleepe he senselesse lay ful still For what is death continuall sleepe what sleepe for small time death But many thinke soules neuer die but after losse of breath The dead they say doe liue againe and fleshe forsaking quite As cockels from the shell outdrawne to Pluto take their flight And downwarde hedlong fast they run in kingdome blacke to sayle There faine they woods of Mirtel trees where wofull louers wayle There riuers run wyth flaming flouds and dreadfull Monsters bee That poysoÌ„ fome with gaping throtes theyr places may you see Of diuers forme where Infants crye and where the gilty Ghostes The furies fierce of Hell doe burne and whip fast lynckd to postes And where the pleasant fieldes doe lye with goodly greene arayed As due to blessed men that here their pagents wel haue playde But other now say otherwise and soules they graunt remayne But those that wel in earth haue liude with starres aboue shall rayne And they againe that lyke to beastes haue serude licencious minde And God neglect in forme of beastes to liue are all assinde In brutishe shape to wander long by iudgement iust are made Til time that purged front their crime they come to hyghest grade Which things in deede if they wer true death fearefull might be thought Or at the least a better lyfe and voide of sinne be sought For to the iust hereby is got the ioyes and pleasures true Wheras the wicked shall receiue their paines and merits due But whether that the deade doe liue or that they nothing bee And soule with body hath hys ende pertaineth not to mee For I mee thinks haue sayd ynough enquire of Sister mine Whom Grecians wysedome euer call these thoughtes she doth defyne And alwayes searcheth secrete things and verity doth showe Hir teaching well thou maist attaine the state of soules to knowe Except it serue to tell thee that death is not to be dred At least vnto the iust that here a righteous life haue led For eyther quiet rest they haue in sleepe that still doth last Or happy else they shall receiue rewardes for vertue past wherfore go to liue Godly now put vice from minde away So death shall seme but light to thee and graue thee not shall fray But now in minde these words reuolue both speake and think this thing What hurt shall death to mee procure what losse shall graue mee bring No whit for trouth what will it haue of richesse mee depriue But richesse then I shall not neede for nothing then I striue But richest then I may be calde for welthyest is the wight Not that doth most possesse but he that lacketh least in syght Gold siluer precious stones and lands with sumptuous fyne aray With other lyke I will despise as things that I not way Nor pleasure past shall greue me then no more than greueth beastes Swete plesant sparkling wines to lack or Custards fyne in feastes The thinges that no man doth desyre what if they not be had But friends children sweete to leaue wil make thou sayest men sad why shuld this thing me greue so much were it not hurtful more If in my life my frends should dye and I lament therfore Continually as some do write how for Antilochus Syr Nestor wept as for his sonne whome slewe the King Turnus While he the Troians armies helpt Euandre liude in woe I go before and what for this they all shall after goe When God appoynted hath their time and me agayne shall see If soules be ought as we beleue as Christ declares they be Well whatsoeuer that it is death yll I may not call Bycause it riches takes away and pleasaunt ioyes wythall For vnto vs these are but lent the vse doth nature giue And not the thing it selfe she deales to mortal men that liue Sith nothing then to me belongs to death I wyl resigne Al other things that here I haue as nothing sure of mine What if I others goods do leaue wherfore should I lament If nature nowe do aske agayne the things that she me lent I naked came into this world and naked wil I out For this world is an Inne where hostes of men a wondrous roure Who for a time do vse the foode that layes before their face Their hoste and therewithal doth say syrs take and eate apace Not for desertes of you we giue these things but of good wyll These pleasant dishes here we set therewith your selues to fyll Untill such time as I thinke good to byd you hence departe And say from vp my table rise now ease with ioyfull harte But when the houre last shal come wherein I byd you go With willing minde obey me then and place resigne you thoe To other gests that here shal syt let them reioyce a while wyth dishes these who wyll repine except he be to vile Lack wyt or else vnthanckfull be hearing these wordes to go From others dores or else wyll syt while he commaundeth so But he shal cry come forth you Knaue and thrust him out by the eares And yll apayd he forwardes goes wyth woful weping teares Wherfore should I if he do call that all things here doth guide â—epine to go from hence or seeke in wretched life to byde As many do nor fyt it is nay willing hence
haue felt and found And Naples that wyth Mermaydes tomb so famous lately ioyed Beholding now hir orchards fayre wyth French mens hands destroied Alas doth heauy mourne by streames of Sebethes so cleare What should I tel the woÌ„drous flames that in the skyes appeare More bright than dayes locusts grim like cloudes the Sunne to hide And tender corue with gredy iawes to spoyle on euery syde How many cities woful plague and piteous famine sore Hath quite depriued of Citizens how many places more Wyth flouds are almost perished Alas now instly now doth God plague vs in sundry case What mischief do we not commyt what iustice is in place What loue or seruice here of God Religion now is made An occupation for the purse a Marchandise and trade The sacred rytes are aye defyled wyth hands of bandy mates Yet loke theron and let it passe the Kings and Princely states And honour due to Christ aboue they not esteeme nor way Thus ouer vs pore misers here such blockes do beare the sway Therefore I wyl go hence a while and in Parnasus hyll Until my Muse doth cal me forth lye close and secrete styll Sagittarius the ninth Booke IT waxeth light now Muse enough wythin Castalian lake We rested haue the wrest therfore and Harp in hand go take Set strings in tune and with thy grace accustomed to thy kinde Sing Goddesse auncient melody good verses fyl thy minde That erst Apollo wonted was in Bay tree woods to tel While he by riuer stoode that runnes from out Permessus Wel. Us calles behold another ioyle wherein some prayse ooth lye Let vs from hautye place and top of Parnas hylles so bye Beholde the sundry mindes of men and eke their liuing marke Nowe past the middest of surging seas had runne my sayling barke And now the toppes of lofty trees wyth frosty ryndes were white When as a certaine God vnknowne by me stoode vp in syght And shining wyth his beames deuine expellde the blackishe night A certaine rock I then behelde whose top did reache so hye That passing cloudes aboue it might discouer plaine the skye Harde semed it first to enter vp for ragged stones there was Placed round about which made y e way both straight and ill to passe The bottom all beset wyth bryers the mydst more mylde againe And nerer as it comes to skyes the path appeares more playne And easyer to be trauailed Theorea eke it hyght Hereto me straightwayes did conduct my Ghost and guiding spright To top wherof when as we came I myght beholde and see Eche place with woÌ„drous syghts fulfild and furnished to bee Which if my tong would here declare the Sunne should soner slyde To lowest partes and night the earth with misty cloke should hyde Whyle as I stay and gase vpon the large and ioyfull syghtes Lo fallyng from the skyes aloft a voice these wordes recytes Stellatus bowe thy knees and here thy humble prayers make Unto the Almighty king without whose grace thou canst not take The pleasant pleasures of this meunt Therefore in humble wyse Kneele thou to God for fauour all doth fall to earth from skyes For nothing is wherof to man can greater profyte flowe Than heauenly helpe with holy prayers to get and God to knowe When thys I hearde vpon the earth my face and hande vpright I bowed my knees and poured out these words in harty plight O Father great of saints chiefe powre that in the worlde may be Than whom may neuer thing be found nor thought of more degree Remoued farre from body here yet framing fashyons all Both such as neuer fade and such as times at length lett es fall The first and of beginning voide the fountaine whence doth spring All kinde of good of nature eke the auctor â–ª guide and king That all things here dost comprehende comprended thou of none The hye Almighty Maiesty and chiefest good alone Lyfe wysedome order praise and ende minde truth way lyght and grace No where thy selfe inhabiting and dwelling in eche place Unmoueable and mouing giuest to all and euery thing From whom in whom eke by whome all kynde of things do spring In one estate remaining styll and changing in no time The chiefest cause that rowling aye the Globe where starres doe shine Doest guide by fixed law th appointed force of destenye Of Lordes the greatest Lorde of all and King of Kings most hye Before whose face a thousande beastes of Angels glystering bright Doe minister with ioyfull hymnes in presence of thy syght Amidst the ample fieldes of lyght aboue the worlde so hye Where aptest place and seate there is for things of certaintye I worship thee I honor thee and prostrate here on face I lyft mine eyes desyring thee wyth mylde and cherefull grace Upon me synfull man to looke and heare my earnest crye Poure downe into my earthly brest thy beames of lyght from hye Driue darkenesse froÌ„ my minde opprest alas in dolefull wyse Whyle in consuming carcasse here and fading fleshe it lyes Graunt me the perfect path to finde least harmefull errors sting wyth fansy fonde and iudgement blind in synne me headlong fling For without thee the wit of man and force of mortall kinde while it intendes to mount a loft receiues a greater fall As Icarus whose wyngs him faylde when he flewe hyest of all Graunt therfore O most mighty king to mee thy creature lowe Thy will to learne and thee to please and then that I may knowe Mine own estate from whence I came and wherto I was made And whether I at length shall passe when that from hence I fade what here in lyfe I should perfourme and what I should not doe That when dame Lachesis my threde of lyfe hath snapt in two And that the farthest day is come that long with priuie stelth Procurde my graue death bring my rest and part of sauing helth These words thus sayde an other voice againe did pearce my eares Thalmighty Lorde thou pleased hast thy prayer full well he heares Pluck vp Stellatus now thy heart to thee for to remaine Here on this mount it graunted is and sacred fruites to gaine Thys said forthwith the voice did ceasse nor worde it vttered more Then in my minde a greater force I felt than earst afore And sharper syght then looked I forth all things descerning well And for my eyes they myght presume olde Linceus to excell With that I felt a subtill wynde to lyft me vp on hye which softly causde me to ascende to toppe of starry skye Much lyke the byrde that beares y e darts that â—ulcans forge dyd frame That when we synne y e thunder thomps doe fling and flashe oft â—â—ame And nowe approcht I nere the Moone whose gaâ—es I had in iyght Wherof part glistred all with golde and part with syluer white I entre in beholding al when straight with me doth meete Timalphes yong of vertues great and eke of fauoure sweete Whom of Arete Ioue begaâ— in auncient
state of destiny commaundeth to be had God Pluto then tell me quoth I why syâ—ste thou here so sad So sad quoth he doest thou not thinke to great a wrong I byde When you possesse so great a space of heauen large and wyde When as but fewe you are and when scarce three when all is done Or little more in greatest space and tract of tyme do come And I to be enclosde within a kingdome here so small Where out of number mortal men continually do fall The Jewes and al the Turkish broode not all the Christian bend I graunt but sure the greatest parte do here do here descend And hither to my parkes they runne why come they more to me Or why doth not my brother there that Skies doth ouersee These Friers Priests Monks at lest take vp to heauen hye And them in blessed place wyth him preserue continually Is is not shame these men that in the Church so swetely sing And day by day in sacred towers the restlesse bells do ring That spend such store of Franconcense and many Hores relieue That pardon others and can not their owne mysdeedes forgiue That play the parts of paryshe Clerke the Corse to bring to graue And beautify the Church of God with Tombs and Pictures braue Is it not shame these men to sende to Hell with paynes therfore As thirsty Appulia neuer bred of Flyes a greater store Nor once the chiefest Bishops he doth dread or more forbeare But rather wylls that they do feele extreamest torments heere Thus in the deepest pyt of Hel enclosde they lye in chaynes And plaged are aboue the rest with grieuous kinde of paynes Wherfore Cyllenius when thou comste the Starres aboue vnto I pray thee shew my brother there that al things I wyl do With willing minde as he coÌ„maundes But yet in any wise Let him respect my poore estate and kingdome not despise And either take some soules from hence or else make Hel more wyde This sayd I wyll quoth I and then from thence in haste I hied And now to Heauen I retourne nor longer can I stay Forget not me thy client poore go blessed sainct away Thou Muse remembre well to thewe to me thy verses fine For paper lowe at hand and pen and leysure good and tyme Beginne and teache me in what sorte a wyse man should be wrought Fyrst vnderneath a happy starre he must to light be brought That after shall be wyse or blest for greatly matter makes Under what signe or what aspect a man his byrthday takes As they affirme that know the names and force and motions hye Of Starres and cast natiuities and tell the destiny O Lord how great and wonderous doth heauens force appeare Wythout whose help the earth nor seas could euer creature beare The Skye the Occean representes the father here of all And stars the syster Nimphs by name full aptly may we call FroÌ„ whence procedes al good on earth therfore can no man liue As wise and blest whoÌ„ starres in byrth an yll aspect do giue Beside of great effect doth seeme their parents state and kinde Of whome the infant nourced is and who doth guide the minde For as the childe in tender yeares himself at fyrst doth trayne Such custome shal in graâ—er age within his heart remayne Long time that nature doth endure and long in minde doth lye That in our childish age at fyrst our senses did apply Therefore the master needes must be both wyse and learned well That guides the childe and also must to vertue him compell And like the horsman good now here now there must winde and wreste The vntamed head and now with byâ—â—e and now wyth spurre molest Nor only him with words persuade but with examples teache For what if life be contrary auayleth it to preach And fyrst be dilligent to kepe him from the vicious kinde Ill company doth oft corrupt a good and vertuous minde This poyson many hath destroyed wouldst thâ—n be glad to tell The nature iust of any man then marke his fellowes well For lyke to lyke doe euer goe and alwayes shalt thou finde That conuâ—rsant are such as be of one disposed minde Wherfore let both the schoolemaster and parents well beware Least him whom they doe thus instruct the naughty youth doe sâ—are And them with filthy crimes infect alas full sone we all Enclyned are vnto the worse and sone to vice we fall Besydes thys childe that here we â—ayne a wyse man for to make Let him in Greeke and latine bookes his daily trauaile take And giue good wyll and diligence in learning to procede Refusyng al vnhonest bookes let hym good auâ—thors reade For sâ—ldome is the vnlearned good for ignorance doth blinde And darkes with errours commonly the rude vnskilful minde But yet from to much study and toyle let him hys minde refraine Least he proue mad in searching thus thys wysedome to attaine Or fall into some great disease and so himselfe destroy To much of euery thing doth harme and long doth not enioye His sprites sometime to recreate and to refreshe his minde Let him absent him selfe and playe for rest in euery kinde Doth quicknesse bring and play in time doth former force repatre But though eche kindes of learning is both nedefull good and faire Yet chiefe among the rest are those and hyghest place obtaine That teacheth well y e Starres to know and nature opens plaine Let these our wyse men well apply with all hys force and might In grauer age and in these artes let him spende hys delight And therwithall as hath bene sayde the nurture of the minde Well put in vre both iust and good shal be and so shall winde About hys head two Lawrell twistes How goodly a thing is it A man both learned and good to bee to knowe and to haue wit A learned foole is to be fearde lyke as the â—urious braine With sworde in hande so is the learnde in whom doth vice remaine But yet suffyseth not alone the minde for to regarde And wyth good manners good artes to haue it thus preparde When as the state of body here we must not lightly way For if the body be diseased it neuer can obay The hesâ—es of minde y u doth commaund both worthy things and great Wherfore we must our selues apply to feede on holesome meate That may engender purest bloud for hurtfull humour springs Of ouâ—ll meates most commonly and such vnholsome things All dronkennesse must be eschewed and surfets must be fled For these the stomacke ouercharge and much anoye the head And rounde wyth fumes beset the brain by thys doth alwayes come The dull appalled sense and sprytâ— and sleepes of afternoone To exercise the body well in due conuenient time Is great commodity to health and makes the force more fyne By to much sâ—outh doth strength deâ—ay and by to long a rest The synowes faynt and all the lymmes by thys are quite opprest Besyde must colde extreme be shunde
continually Where nature mischiefes doth permit there plants she pleasure by And wise she mixeth sowre with sweete and where diseases raynes There hath she poynted remedies that can release the paynes Therefore wheresoeuer to much heate anoyes the inhabitant No mountaynes colde nor cooling blastê no shaddowing trees do want Nor pleasant streams w t store of springê whose coldenesse may defeate The harmes that happen vnto man by force of raging heate Besides the night hath equall length there all times with the day Which with an euen cooling force doth heate of Sunne alay wherby we iudge the myddle Zone not voyd nor empty â—â—es But peopled well by nature safe and meanes that they deuise So th'vtter Zones where as they say no kinde of people dwell with snowes and yse all couerde styll men may inhabite well As reason good doth vs persuade for there great store of wood Doth alwayes grow garments there are made both great and good wyth furres of sundry sortes of beastes and stoues are many there where w t men well may warm theÌ„selues and winter nothing feare And bytter colde by many meanes they well may driue away Nor foode conuenient do they want but Cates at home they may Or brought froÌ„ other countreyes haue and daynty kinde of fare wherefore it is not true that some brought vp in Greece declare That nature onely hath assignde one Zone of smallest sise For man to dwell and all the rest that voyd and desert lies Alone to serue for beast and fish this world vnworthy seeme That nature graunting greater place to beasts them best esteeme Wherfore if he may be beleeued that troth doth playnly tell No place there is vpon the earth but men may safely dwell Dame natures ayde in nothing doth sustayne or feele decay And witte of man the hardest things doth breake and beare away Now last bicause vnto the ende with haste apace we hie And time doth wyll vs to attempt the fishes of the Skie Therefore I briefly will declare the cause why earth doth quake What force doth driue it for to moue what might doth make it shake And thus we may be bolde to thinke that in the earth belowe Are many caues and mighty vawtes where boystrous winds do blowe Which whilst with force they rage and striue vpon the earth they beate And in this rage do ouerturne the walles and Cities greate Tyll breaking out at some one place wyth force abrode they flye And blowe about in puffing ayre not long in rest they lye These windes are bred within the earth of damps which firy heate Doth draw from moysture neere about for many fiers great The earth within doth nourish styll a wondrous thing I tell But yet no fayned thing I shewe he can beare witnesse well Who so hath Aetna euer seene or bathes of waters hote Or who so knowes the wonders of Veseuus viney plotte These winds the wicked sprits do moue that in the lowest Hell Possesse their place and in the depth of dongeons darke do dwell For trifies surely are they not nor words of vanitie That of the Stygian lakes and of Auernus spoken be No place doth voyd or emptyly but dwelt in euery wheare Both vnder earth and on the earth in ayre and firy spheare In Skies and eke aboue the Skies where Heauen shineth bright where as the glistring pallayce standes of Prince of greatest might That owner is of all the world My Muse adieu farewell And finally prepare thy selfe thy ending tale to tell Pisces the tvvelueth Booke MOst glorious GOD almighty King thou Parent chiefe of name Whose wisdom gret this woÌ„drous world of nothing first did frame And gouerns it and euermore preserueê it day by day The spring and end of all that be to whome all things obay Than whome more great more good or fayre is nothing nor more hie That blessed liuest for euermore aboue the starry Skye My minde desiring now to thee to clime doth nothing neede Apollo Muse Parnasus hill or springs that wont to feede The pratling Poets fansies vayne when as they list to write Disguised tales that frantike heads of countrey Clownes delite For other ayde and other grace it needefull is to haue And streames of other fountayns swete I thyrsty now do craue I thee beseech and humbly pray on thee alone I call That this my worke of late begoonne and labour last of all Thou fauour wilt and grauÌ„t me grace to touch the appoynted ende O Lorde thy holy sprite vouchsafe into my heart to sende wherewith inspirde I may beholde the secrets of thy rayne And others teache and with my verse immortall honour gayne A sorte there are that do suppose the ends of euery thing Aboue the heauens to consist and farther not to spring So that beyond them nothing is and that aboue the Skies Hath nature neuer powre to clime but there amazed lies Which vnto me appeareth false as reason doth me teach For if the ende of all be there where Skies no farther reach Why hath not God created more bicause he had not skill How more to make his cunning stayed and broken of his will Or was it bicause he had not powre but troth both these denies For powre of God hath neuer ende nor bounds his knowledge ties No kinde of thing may God conclude nor limits him assigne Nor propre force doth once restrayne the Maiestie deuine Great things I tell and reason greate shall also this defende If any thing the powre of God may ende or comprehende Then is y t thing more strong than God For what thing can be found That if it haue not greater force another thing can bound But nothing passeth God in powre nor stronger is than he Therefore he neyther can nor wyll with limits compast be For who wold haue his force restraynd when that he may be free And walke abrode where as he list with powre at libertie No man there is that doth desire himselfe for to abase But rather all men arrogate to them a higher place And alwayes seeke for to enhaunce the state that here they leade And though their wings be large wide yet farther them to spreade will GOD then while he may be greatest of powre omnipotent His propre force himselfe restrayne and liue in limits pent This surely doth not well agrée nor ought to be beleeued That God hath bounds if that of none he euer them receiued Nor hath assigned to himselfe as we before did proue These things foretold we thus coÌ„clude the works of God aboue Unbounded for to be least that his powre and maiestie And knowlege should be counted vayn For if aboue the Skie He could and might haue framed more and goodlier things by much But would not then in vayne is all his power and knowledge such For if that any man haue skyll and cunning in an arte And neuer will in practise put the knowledge of his harte In vayne he should vnto himselfe procure a workmans name In vayne with