diuine honour is the due reward Doe not with glosing nor with sugred speech Thinke to allure thy God vnto thy will Of thy fraile temple he can make a breach And in one moment soule and bodie kill The difference twixt God and man assignde One kils the bodie the other kils the minde Care not for him that hath power corporall Able to kill the bodie is the worst But care for him whose power coelestiall For he can make both soule and bodie curst Wherefore take heede thou do not grieue that God Who can auenge thy folly with his rod. Be so determinde in thy daily labour That thou offend not Gods high maiestie For he that is out of Gods heauenly fauour Shall be destroyed by his deitie The Lord hath piâ—tie when he seeth vs take Compassion on the poore for Christ his sake But when with impudent and carelesse eye We doe neglect the cries of silly soules And wallowing in deepe securitie Cherish our pleasures and drinke wine in bowles Whilest we annoint our selues with ointments sweet Who will with teares ofsorrow wash Christ feete No man is sory for poore Iosephs woe Iosephs affliction doth not touch our hearts Pleasures induce vs where so ere we goe Sinnes lamentation instantly departs Ioseph in prison we sweete pleasures taste Relieude by none til all his griefes be paste Those who contemne the miseries of men Shall nere attaine vnto this Golden prize These like to sauage Lions in their den VVith proud Calâ—gula do tiâ—annize Nere shall they come to rest but endlesse warre Shall scatter them without a shepheards starre Caâ—â—â—la would many times reproue The Gods on high in that they did withstand His Saints ordainde to purchase peoples loue And brandishing a weapon in his hand Come Aeolus quoth he and all yee Gods I le whip you like to scholeboies with my rods Yet when he heard the messenger of raine ThuÌ„der with crackling noise come hurrying down Then he proud man to hide himselfe was faine And who was high before is humble growne For wandring what did hurrie ore his head Fond witlesse man he crept vnder his bed Caligula could neuer get this prize For he abashed was at euery storme Nor with affiance could lift vp his eyes To that same God whose grace doth man adorne For Grace doth beautifie each creature well And is a meanes foule vice for to expell Now whosoeuer will obtaine that prize That Golden Fleece euen that celestiall treasure Let him feare Gods high power in any wise And dedicate his life to Gods good pleasure Then he cannot but get this precious gemme Reserude for such as be religious men There was a world though that waxe hoary now VVhen vertue was the scope each leueld at But few will vertue in their actions show All be respectiue of their priuate gaine This priuate state is mundane happinesse VVhich is the groundworke of our wretchednesse Leaue all thy wealth and thy preferment quite Flie to the Anchor of thy hope and stay Here 's Iacobs ladder which may thee incite Vpon thy soueraigne Lord thine head to lay Christ is no place whereon to laie his head But Christ his hand will vs to glory leade Buie once this gemme againe and tell me then If euer Iewell were of such a price A Iewell requisite for Christian men For her 's no Christian that will it despise Sell all and buie it for it will procure Thy endlesse safetie which will ere endure What is it drawes thee from thy louing Lord Is it promotion hope of present gaine Or is it all that fraile earth can afford Nought but vaine shadowes doth fraile earth containe Leaue then the shadow and the substance get Immortall things immortall minds beset What was the reason Alexander thought Nought could containe mans mind that worldly was Euen forasmuch as he for honour sought Which hauing gotten like a shade did passe And hauing conquerde all the world beside Yet he perceiude nought constant could abide One arrow piercing Alexanders thigh From whence there gushed streames of crimson bloud Now doe I grant quoth he mortalitie Is incident to me as here is shewed Nor prince nor begger can debarre his state To be eclipsed by a mortall date Thou that wiâ— winâ—e this Golden â—leece this prize Confâ—sse thy seâ—fe a man and not a God With pure denotion â—leuate thine eyes Least thou be daâ—ht in peeces by his rod. And being dasht reuerreceiue agaâ—ne Gods dâ—uine spirit A Cordiall for thy paine Get thee to Noaâ—s Arke and like a Doue Come flying with an Oliue in thy bill The Olâ—ue is the token of true loue Which will â—he hatred of the serpent kill For thou as long as thou abidest there No ouerflowing deluge needs to feare When Zâ—thâ—s aged Boreas sonne and heire Came downe from Colchis into Arcadie When vnto Phinâ—us Court he did repaire And was receiude by Phineus sumptously He ayded Phineus the Harpies to expell VVhose filthie ordure gaue a noâ—some smell For wheresoeuer Phineus did goe They did pursue him both by Sea and land And made king Phineus full of dismall woe Foâ— they were plagues inflicted by Ioues hand In that he did put out his childrens eyes VVhich did ascend to Ioue with wofull cries Zethes by force expelde these cruellbirds Expulsing them the bounds of Arcadie And for his welcome this kinde loue affords And loue for loue is showne as mutually It was an aâ—mes for to renew his life Since what was done was plotted by his wife Then this example shall induce thy loue Not with vnthankful and foâ—getfull minde For to requitâ— his kindnesse whâ— did proue A faiâ—hfulâ— friend and in distresse most kinde For Zethes was in great disâ—â—esse before Till he arriude vpon th' Arcadian shore And sure vnthankfull minds be most accurst Since they like Vipâ—rs be vnkind to those Who fosâ—red them and make their wombes to burst Vipers to Vipers be the hatefull foes Many foule vice saith Seneca I ken In Rome yet none worse then vnthankfull men It is inhumane to forget good will The king of Persia did accept a gift Euen a small handfull which a wife diâ— fill Oâ— liquid water void of subtile drift This he accepted and with like desert repaid the kindnesse of her louing heart And sure who is vngratefull to his friend Shall nere obtaine this sacred prize of heauen And since Gods bountie store of gifts doth send Striue in an equall poize to be found euen And whensoere thou doest perceiue Gods grace Stirre thee to good cease not his name to praise Thou an vnfruitfull seruant doe thy best Yet all thou doest not so much as thou ought Christ with his sacred robe doth thee inuest And in his mercy hath thee homeward brought And yet thou wandrest in the fields astray Vnlesse Gods mercy be thy hold and stay He is thine hold yet like a drunken man Thou
of his worthlesse life No care to iealous 〈◊〉 there can be For iealous thoughts despaire of remedie Nature hath plagude some with a iealous spirit And yet no cause giuen by his honored wife For iealous thoughts proceede not still from merit Surmisde coniectures breede intestine strife Reaping such things as such minds do befit They lose the substance and the shadow get Whenas desire of vaine and wanton loue Shewes as a Tyger and triumphes in woe Her tyrant hands she in her course doth proue And draweth on despaire where ere she goe For desperate loue appeareth oft in such As are besotted with louing ouermuch But well I know the portraie of thy mind Thou lou'st and art bewitcht with iealousie And if a sillie Mouse thou chance to finde Within thy chamber thy impatiencie Sweares it hath â—uckold thee and in despaire Protests the child she hath is not thine heire Wherefore should bushes so affright braue men That are endewd with wit and dignitie How should a Momus portraie with his pen Their iealous thoughts and their impietie Beleeue me friend no viper worse I finde Then the ranke poyson of a iealous minde The Macedons were more discreete then they Who suffred all haue publike liberty And to repaire vnto their house each day For to supply their imbecility I cannot chuse but count that man a gull That thinks his Pasyphae neeâ—s euery Bâ—ll I cannot chuse but sore condemne that man That soothes his pleasure in a vaile of teares And blots the current of his glorious name By suppositions and pretended pheres Honour thy wife for she is chaste and pure Conceiue but chastly of her rest secure I am thy friend in counsell and must tell Thy follies erre and wander farre amisâ—e For iealous thoughts runne posting hast to hell Ne're are partakers of an heauenly blisse Remember well let iealous thoughts depart Least Queene of chast desires frame thee an hart And then still grazing in the shadie groue Repent thy foolish and mishapt suspicion Which did coniecture false of such a loue Grounding a truth out of an apparition Can tell this vaine forgde deed and then prepare More honourd thoughts t'extenuate thy care I le leaue thee thus and if thou doe remaine In thine ill formd suggestions then be sure There 's punishing Gods that will in lieu of gaine Enthrall thy soule in depâ—h ere to endure Emprisned fast with chaines of slauerie Condigne reward for vntunde iealousie Haplesse is he who so regards his name That he redoubles it with infamie Vnfortunate that doth impaire the same And shewes his thoughts by harsh tunde iealousie Iuno can looke vpon her husband loue To know why he faire Io so should loue I haue knowne many in regard of time Shew discontent to see their wiues partake Of popular aspect and to repine To loue a friend not for her husband sake But none I euer knew or ere shall know That for true loue will seeme besotted so When Collatine did giue his signet ring Vnto young Sextus void of any ill He safe content within his tent did sing Deuoted to his chast Lucretiaes will Worthie was he of such a beauteous mate That could so well discerne of his estate He had a pearle and he did esteeme it Not like vaine trash floting with euery winde For like a Phoenix vpon earth did deeme it Contented well with Iewell of his mind Thou hast as faire a gemme as ere had he VVhy should thou then affect such iealousie FINIS THE THIRD SONET PVh well I know thee thou loues publike gaine And therefore I desire thy wanâ—on face I will not reape an haruest of such paine Since thou descended art of Lais race I cannot loue thee for thy taste seemes sower VVho reapes vnhonest gaine approues an hower I will not talke of what thy life hath beene For well it may be thou was once conuerted But now it seemes thou art transformed cleane Thy thoughts and all thy purposes peruerted Thou lou'd the Church once and didst God adore But now forsakest him thou lou'd before Fie on the visard Lamia of sinne Thou horrid Ghost compast of wickednesse Faire though thou be without thou art foule within Concoct of nought but dregs of â—luttishnesse That ribband which thou wearst hung at thine eare Shew what confusion in thy thoughts appeare Hoy-day what may-game haue we heere in hand Women with men and men as wantonly Vnto their tackling constantly doe stand Rebounding vice with vice successiuely I will not say what here is to be done But maids seeme not praecise in being won I cannot chuse but blush at such vaine words As curious passions birle to their loues But knowing what discourse vaine loue affords Amongst the shades of Ericinas groues I doe not wonder eares attention len For maids must needs make strange in kissing men If forrest Oeta where Alcydes dide And all the trees within that forrest wilde And all the starres on Moone light nights descride And all the grasse piles within earth compilde Were metamorphosde to maidâ— beauteous shape I should suspect them minion for thy sake The Gods themselues haue had enough of beauty Venus is spotlesse yet she hath a mole In tendring not to Vulcan natiue dutie Breathing with Mars whilst Vulcan with his cole Fie on that face that hauing beauteous lookes Enchaines desires in two lasciuious hookes Runne to the Romane Brothell not to mee For I detest thy common infamy The Vestall Nunnes wil not to lust agree For they inuested are with puritie Couer that wanton face ore with a maske Since dregs for wine be mixed in that caske Thou art created to another end Then to make prostitute those parts of thine Those eaâ—es of thine which doe attention lend Vnto each gallant mate opprest with wine For wine makes men besoâ—ted so with thee Or without doubt bewitcht they could not bee When Nature gaue to thee two eyes two armes Two eares two legs two breathing nosethrils wide She did ordaine by two to cure all harmes VVhich might occurre vnto the rest beside Yet she did but create one heart one minde To which at first chaste thoughts she did assigne One soule is fit and that desires to dwell In heau'ns eternall rest whose purity Might best beâ—â—t it to denounce and tell The wondrous works of Gods diuinity Then fie for shame one gemme musâ— needs remaine VVhich is so precious without mole or staine This gemme though darkned by a wilfull Eue Yet it s renewed by Christs gracious loue By her originall our Lord we grieue By him we seeme vnspotted as a Doue For by his wounds are we to safegard brought And much esteemd that erst appeared nought Rest thee vpon this Anchor suredly And here repose thee on thy Sauiours crosse Flie lustfull thoughts which lackie miserie Thy pleasure cannot counteruaile thy losse God hath ordaind thou shouldst suruiue with him Not to defile thy precious soule with sinne That soule composde of sacred harmony Rarer then that Actâ—on first
inuented Not of that horrid iltunde paritie To which old Orpheâ—s in hell first consented VVhen he his wife attaind by Musicks straine That did long time before in hell remaine Concord befitteth best the rarest wits And what tune rather then a quiet minde Immortall things immoâ—tall minds befit Affecting that which first was her assignde Solace thy chastest minde deckt gloriously VVith present health and future dignity Arcadian shepheards borne of meane degree VVill not so passe their time but in regard Of times content and minds tranquilitie Obtaine that prize which may not be comparde VVith terrene drosse more vile then brittle clay VVhich one howers sicknesse soone can take away Doest thou tricke vp that vessell made of earth For to allure fond men vnto thy will I tell thee beauty it is little worth VVhen death shall tinckle out her passing bell Oh then how good thou art and not how faire VVith dreadfull sights thou art demanded there Oh fie vpon the vizard baite of sinne Pawne not thy credite in a brothell house For how canst thou reward of Sion win That doest thy soule by misdemeanour lose Repaire vnto the temple of that king VVhose powerfull might conserueth euery thing If I haue any thing preuailde with thee To change the horrour of thy mispent time Thanke not the Poet but that deitie VVho is the Author both of me and mine For whatsoere I haue I must confesse Proceedeth from his gracious prouidence THE FOVRTH SONET DOest thou so fondly loue and art not lou'de In louing those who little care for thee If that thy fancie haue such fruites approu'de I scorne to match with such imparity For wel I know a Prince may loue for lust Those eyes of thine and then returne to dust If Rosamond had euer bene an hower Nerâ— bene interred in her bed of earth If she had euer kept such vitall power Aâ— to smell sweet with her mellistuous breath She had bene well excusde to chuse that state Which should be neere ecclipsde by mortall date But she poore wench did flourish for a while Cropt in the primrose of her wantonnesse And she that did the noblest thoughts beguile â—s now conuerted into rottennesse Thus doe we finde the truth of euery thing Sâ—nne is a sinne euen in the noblest king For there is nought can be esteemed so Depraude deformde as to apologize A sinne actde by a Prince but hence this woe Appeares in Poets which doe temporize I will not sooth a Monarch for his crowne But I must tell him sinne will throw him downe Plutarch saith well that he that bridle can His fond affections is halfe vertuous But he that 's wholy firme's an honest man His minde remaines certaine not impious Not tost with tempests of each breathing winde But as a mirrour of a constant minde Hard things are pleasant and those things appeare To be the best which be the hardliest won Then if repressing of fond lust thou feare To be too hard yet being once begun A better relish it will yeeld to thee Then treasure had in great varietie One that should passe the Alpes and hauing done Reposing him vpon some harbour low Considers with what perill he begun And numbring them discursiuely in row Cannot but ioyfully be glad of this That he hath ended what his heart did wish How oâ—t would he lie groueling on the ground And in a descant oâ— his sweete repose With ioyfull mirth and pleasure would abound To haue transâ—reted such a Sea of woes And by recounting how he earst did creepe Aboue those cliffes he would fall fast asleepe So thou obtaining this so hard to taske Must needs be ioyfull in the victory To haue pure liquor in a purer caske Which might redound to minds felicitie And that same caske that vessell thou doest beare Should haue a crowne of glory doe not feare Loue not too high estates for they le despise Thy poore estate brougâ—t downe to beggery Ayme at the lower rank if thou be wise For they le acknowledge thy supremacie Yet in my minâ—e there 's nought can equall that To condescend vnto an equall state Neither can boast of birth or parentage Neither can brag of their too high estate But passe their daies of wofull pilgrimage With like to like the begger with his mate Irus though he be poore yet â—ich in this Irus a begger may a begger kisse THE FIFTH SONET THou lou'st for beautie not for Veâ—tue sake Fie on thee therefore that hast reasons lore And yet canst not discern of such a make As being vertuous thou nede haue no more This I haue knowne and ere approu'd I finde None equals her that hath a vertuous minde Thou mak'st description of each seuerall part Her Iuory browes and eke her rosâ—e cheeks But how canst thou describe frame of her heart If all the minutes were turnd into weeks And well I know there is no ioynt no part Can be compar'd vnto a sincere heart If Vâ—nus had her mole thou mayst be sure Thine hath her blemish full as foule as she If Venus beâ—utie could not ere endure Presume not thine to haue eteâ—nity Thine though as faâ—re yet if she draw a breath Stopt she will tell me there ensueth death Was not chast Lucrece much respected euer As faire as vertuous second was to none Yet rauished by Sextus she had leuer Die in despaire then liuing make her mone Of that abuse young Sextus had atchieude Which aboue all compare her heart had grieude Happie was Collatine of such a wife So faire and yet so vertuously inclinde With such to liue it were an happie life Enioying aye the state of quiet minde Yet Collatine vnhappie was in this He was depriude of such celestiall blisse Hero I must confesse lou'de constantly And young Leander was as firme as she Though he be drownd yet he gets memory Of constant loue loues perpetuity And Hero she seeing Leander swim Loue sicke poore wench she thought to follow him But these were borne in Saturnes golden time The like we finde not now for they be rare Black Swans white Moores they liue not in this clime Our Sexes breath a more inconstant ayre And so despairing I haue knowne of late By louing much their loue grew desperate I will not make particular discourse Foâ— that seemes odious in each curious eye I hope a generall vse will be of force To moue iudicious men to pietie This I must tell them beauteous locks of couer A mishapte soule a little vernisht ouer Will any man seeme such an idle swaine As to bestow more money on the case Then on the instrument it doth containe More on the maske then odors for the face Beleeue me friend that man cannot be wise That is besotted with a paire of eyes I haue knowne some more humerous then wise Who in fantastick foolish apparitions Seeing a woman maskt all but her eyes Fell into such distresse and such distractions That he could stay