more to get Than iust deserts y e law a brybing craft for golde a fyshing nette Eche kinde of handy craft corrupt by guile of workmens wyll The theefe to fee the Inkeper his gests thereby to kyll Besydes I many might beholde enricht by theft and guyle Though naughty beastes more meeter far to weare a rope a whyle Yet praysde to be and worshipped and feared very much The vnworthy placde in regal seate and honours dealt to such As haue but only shape of men Besyde religion fled By conetousnesse and Priests bent al to foode and Harlots bed And vnder cloke of holinesse seke priuily to gayne And pick the common peoples purse by meanes of wyly trayne While as they open heauen wyde and barre the hellish way And while they bost that they can soules where as they list conuay And wyth their Portas force the saincts to do as they are bent By this occasion left I al and from the townes I wene Accoumpting it more safe for me to liue in desert place And in this hyll to runne the rest of al my ranging race This hil whereas the altare stands of Syluester the saint Where as the Shrine and monuments of him his prayses paynt Which place though it seme rough and rude not meere to dwel vpon Yet fitte it is for saincts and such as liue in peace alone And wholly do apply their mindes the Lord to feare and loue And alwayes seeke to ioyne themselues with saincts in Skies aboue But hard perchaunce it seemes to thee and straunge it doth appere That I can liue in desert such and stony places here Where seldome any man doth come where wanting seemes to be Most things that should sustaine the life of man at libertie Yet is it not so hard in deede nor straunge it seemeth than If that the holy Ghost enspire the heart of any man Descending downe from heauens hye of God the sacred sprighte That purifies the heart from sinne and rayseth soules to light That ouerwhelmde in flesh do lye as Mercury sublimde By force of fyer is and takes a colour white ful finde This holy sprite adournes the minde and heart doth vpward moue This cutts away the worldly cares and breadeth heauenly loue Wherwith the minde inflamed once all things doth easye seeme Though neuer so sore for he that loues doth labour light esteeme Especially if any hope there be rewarde to holde For hope loue are two stroÌ„g pricks that makes vs alway bolde And not to care for any toyle wherfore continually Our daily prayers must wee make to hym that guides the skye That so thys holy sprite vouchsafe into our heartes to fall That he may plant a Godly hope and Godly loue withall Wherwith y e minde inspirde may mouÌ„t aboue the starry skye Despising much the world and ioyes that vaine doe please the eye And striue to ioyne it selfe to God with all the force and might No maruell then it is all if ayded of this sprite I here can dwell and leade a lyfe full harde so paciently Upon this stiepe and desert rocke and stony mountaine hye Yet neuer lackt I meate nor clothes vpon this loftye spyre As much as nature doth content not wanton fonde desyre A little thing doth nature serue a small thing doth content Such one as loues none ouerplus a man to vertue bent That rather seekes celestiall lyfe than fleshly fading dayes For lyfe least thou be ignorant is double in hir wayes One wherwithall the bodye lyues still followed and pursude Is thys of all the route of fooles and common people rude The people fonde that nothing knowe of any worthinesse But stouthful beasts do make their God of filthy fonde excesse This lyfe is proper vnto beastes of wilde and sauage kinde The other vnto God aboue and men of godly minde That for their great and worthy deedes doe well deserue the name Of perfect men and holly sainctes of euerlasting fame But such hye minded vertuous Impes the earth doth seldome broode The earth a mother to the naught and stepdame to the good Agui se falta vn Renglon por ligereza But now bicause I see thee bent to giue attentâ—uâ— eare Some things of this celestiall lyfe I will declare thee here Which ought well vnderstoode to please the minde of any wight Fyrst man consystes not only of fleshe but also of the spright This giueth lyfe to them that line by this we feele and moue This giues vs mind y e worthyest thing by which men wondrous proue But many doubt if that the soule doe liue the body dead Or whether it doe finishe â—o when as the lyfe is stedde Assaredly the worser sort that to the fleshe doe cleaue And bent to vice despising God doe wishe and eke beleue The soule to haue a dying day â—icause alas they feare The cruell forments for the sinnes that they committed here And therefore will alowe no hell nor Diuels for to be And so they doe persuade themselues to scape with mischiefe free An other better sort of men that synfull lyfe doe hate Prouoked with the Godly loue of vertues goodly â—iate Doe thinke the soule doth alwayes lyue and not to dye with graue Bicause they hope a glorious Crowne for their good workes to haue And make accompt of perfect blisse when death hath shot hys dart And of a better promisde lyfe for to enioy their part Of these two sortes who iudgeth best â–ª who is but the iust For euermore in doubtfull things the opinion must we trust That pleaseth best the better sort and that which follow most Such men as vertuous be and such as haue the holy Ghost More safe it is to cleaue vnto the vertuous and the iust Than fansyes of the wycked men to credite or to trust Ne must we note their number great that any thing haue sayde But in what sort they leade theyr lyfe must well of vs â—e wayde Wherefore it better is with fewe of vertuous sort to say That soules doe lyue continually and haue no dying day Than with a number of the lewde against it to replye Contending that there are no spriâ—â—s and that the soule doth dye But more bâ—cause thou shalt beleue I will declare to thee By reason good the state of soule immortall for to bee For if that God in better things doth cunning still expresse As wysedome telles and as the good and vertuous must confesse Then doubtlesse must we iudge he gauâ— the soules no time to dye Since better farre it is for them to liue continuallye Than with the fleshe to be extinct and feele a full decaye Which thus I proue if death doe take from vs the soule away If that we haue no other lyfe but in thys body here Then God may be accounted ill and shall vniust appere For thousandes euery day we seâ— that florishe prosproustye In richesse substance and renoume in raignes and Empyres hye Yet ydle lubbers vnlearnde naughâ— that synne at liberâ—ye And runne
the race of all their life in great prosperitye On the other syde we may beholde the iust opprest to be With spitefull chaunce a wretched lyfe and pyâ—ious prouertye Thus eyther God vnrighteous is that doth these things permit Or after death hath euery man as he deserueth it Or else he doth disoaine the deedes of mortall men to knowe Besides what gratious mind apperes in God what goodnesse doth he showe â–ª If this be all that he doth giue a lyfe so short and vaine That swyftly runneth to an ende and doth no time remaine The halfe wher of is spent in sleepe the rest in griefe and â—oyle And daungers great as fast doth fleete as riuers swyft in soyle Therfore go to O wretched men builde Gorgeous Churches hye And let with costly offrings great your altars pestred lye Set vp your ioyfull branche of bayes your sacred dores about with pompe of proude processyon passe let Hiâ—â—â—es be ratled out Spende frankconsenâ—e and let the nose of God be stretched wyde With pleasant smoke do this and addâ— more honour much besyde That he preserue your goodly lyfe wherin doth you torment Sometime great cold sometime heaâ— â—ow plague now famishement Now bloudy warres now sicknes great or chaunce to sorowe at Sometime the busye byting flye sometime the stynging â—nat The Chynâ—h and Flea Keioyce I saye that here you leade your lyfe With thousand painfull labours great in trauaile toyle and stryfe And after in a little space in paine you drop away And lompishe lye in lothsome vawlt to wormes a grateful praye O worthy lyfe O goodly gift of God man in this world is bredde Among the brutishe beastes and fooles and â—â—aues hys lyfe is ledde Wher stormes and flakey snowes yse and durt and dust and night And harmful ayre and cloudes mistes and windes wyth hellish syght And grief wailing raynes wher death besyde doth worke his feate Is this our goodly countrey here is this our happy seate For which we owe such seruice here vnto the Goddes aboue For which it seemeth mete wyth vowes the heauenly saynâ—ts to moue And if none other life we haue than this of body vayne So frayle and ful of fylthinesse when death hath carcasse stayne I see not why such prayses should of God resound in ayre Nor why we should such honour giue to hym in temples fayre That hath vs wretches framed here in this so wretched soyle That shall for euermore decay after so great a toyle Wherfore least God shall seeme vniust and ful of cruelnesse Shal well deseruing counted be we must of force confesse That death doth not destroy the soule but that it alwayes is None otherwise than sprite in ayre and sainct in heauen liues Both voyd of body sleepe and meate And more we must confesse That after death they liue in paynes or perfect blessednesse But let this reason thee suffise for if thou this do shewe Unto the wicked kinde they laugh no light the blinde doth knowe But thou beleue for euermore and know assuredly For ground of sauing health it is that soule doth neuer dye Exempted from the Sisters power and fatal destiny These things foretolde made euident let vs begin to tell The perfect life that makes vs like to saincts aboue that dwell By which the heauens we desyre But syth doth best appeare Contrary things when they be seene and ioyned something neere Wherfore it is conuenient first the bodies life to showe That drawes vs downe froÌ„ heauen hie to minde the earth below And makes vs like to brutish beastes contrary to the soule This life he liues though naught y t doth for stately honours prowle And seekes with al his force the fruicte of praise and glory vayne Desiring only men to please with fonde vayne glorious brayne And he that wholly doth apply himself a wealth to get By right or wrong and hath his heart vpon his riches set A two leggde Mole that alwayes doth in earth enâ—ombed lye Not casting once his eyes aloft vnto the heauens hye And be that drownde in lecherie and surfeâ—s euer lyes Regarding only fleshly ioyes doth shamefastnesse despise Runnes headlong into whoredome vile and fattes himselfe with meate A foolish man that so the wormes may haue more foode to eate Al these same vile and fylthy kindes that I haue reckned here May wel be called fleshly men for loue to flesh they beare Whose life doth differ smal froÌ„ beastes But now on the other side He that doth prayse of men depise and pomp of worldly pride Doth liue with chast and Godly minde is calde a spiritual man Bicause his sprite the body rulde and lust subdued than Doth freely guide and hath his place in hiest part of brayne Therefore the Godly life is fyrst with bridle to restrayne Fond pleasure Gluttony and lust to conquer flesh with sprite For to neglect al worldly things and only set delight On heauen heauen most to wysh and chieâ—ly to regard There is the soyle for soules and seate for vertuous men preparde There to the body layd in graue the righteous soules do clime Most glorious soules that brightly doe with glorious vertue shine And feele in euer lasting light an euerlasting ioy But chiefly let the vertuous man his time and toyle employ In learning vsing styll to reade such bokes as do entreate Of God of soule and wretched state of this our dwelling seate Of death or other honest things and let him night and day Of these both often reade and talke and wel in minde them way But wanton workes wanton words let him with head eschew Alas how sore do such affayres a vertuous minde subdew For reading is the foode of minde which if it vertuous be Doth profyt much if it be yll doth hurt excedinglye None otherwise than euyll meate doth hurt the man that chawes These thinges though they muste all be kept yet nothing more withdrawes A man from loue of filthy flesh nor leades to God more nye Than oftentimes to ponder well of life the misery Which since it is so short and full of such calamitie Seemes rather death than life to me yea worse than death to be For who is it that doth not see who doth not playne perceaue That yrksome gall and bytternesse to euery parte do cleaue If euery thing thou wel doest sift nought perfect shalt thou fynde For nature poysoned hath the partes of all and euery kind Most things haue double face ful black within and outward white And with their colour do deceyue the iudgement of the sighte If ought there be here in this life both fayre and good besyde Like smoke and mist it flyes away and doth no time abide Time suffers nothing long on earth death maketh al things vayne And turnes and tumbles vnder foote of man the proud disdayne Alas how al this worldly pompe doth quickly passe away How wauering is renoume of man how sone doth it decay Much like the bubble swelling great amyd the
waters cleere Is sone destroyed and with a puffe of winde doth not appere For in a moment al the ioyes of man are fetcht away Then only doth the talk remaine wherein they thus do say Loe here he was loe this did he he fought and triumph wan He loued he raigned he conquerd realmes subdued many a man A goodly sorâ—e of bookes he wrote but now where shall we finde These things no where Himself where now both out of sight and minde What is he now Nothing Or whether did he himself conuay Loe fled from hence with windes he is and vanisht quite away Alas alas but trifles fond and fansies meere they be Whatsoeuer goodly thing on earth or wonderful we see What tell you me of Was or Did one Is more worth coumpt I Than Was a thousand times But fast this Is away doth flye And al our pompe with him he beares These things who wel doth way And vseth to consider oft shall quickly cast away This worldly loue and hating earth shal seeke the Skies to finde Especially if therewithal he vse to beare in minde How fylthy and how miserable mans body doth appere Of fading flesh and brittle bones with skinne encompast here Al flowing ful with dregges vncleane and bloud corrupt and vile Still durty soule and filthy lookes except it euery while Be washt and kept with daily care and so made fayre and white O dolefull hospitall of minde and vessell of the sprite By which such sycknesse great we feele by which such neede we haue O heauie garment pryson strong O quick and liuely graue That chokest here both minde sense and them in darkenesse hyde Wherby so great an ignorance in brest of man doth byde O earth to earth returning soone that in a smallest while In tombe shalt freshly feede y e wormes with foode of carcasse vile In what a wretched case liues he that ledde away with loue Of thee doth leaue the perfect lyfe and gift of God aboue While more than meate esteming thee thy pleasures here preparde He onely seekes and good and ryght 〈◊〉 smally doth regarde And thinkes there is no other lyfe than this that here we holde A foolishe Asse forgetfull of himselfe and countrey olde From whence into thys darksome dale and dolefull place he went That so a wretche he should become in wretched carcasse pent For euery soule that is enclosde with fleshe and members here Hath wretched lyfe tyll losed froÌ„ thence it flye to heauens clere Except the heauy waight of synne doe barre him of hys way And cause it in the lowest ayre or on the earth to stay For purest heauen neuer can a thing vncleane abyde Nor wicked men nor doltishe fooles may come where God doth guide These wordes while as the holy man in teaching mee had spent The Sunne almost had ended daye with Waine that weary went And night was nere at hande that thoe began abrode to cast Hir dreadfull darksome shade vpon the worlde approching fast I thence depart and towards Rome my way in hast I take And whyle with speede I passe the pathe that iorney new doth make Lo Cynthia shining compasse full did call the lightlesse night With syluer beames that dewe she cast to appere both fayre and bright Thus went I all alone and wyth my selfe in minde I wayde The Godly wordes that late to me the auncient Father sayde But lo thre men in company therwith I might beholde whom meeting thus by chauÌ„ce I askde which way they trauaile would To Rome they sayde and one of them lookde full vyon mee thoe And naming mee from wheÌ„ce quoth he what countrey comste thou froe I aunswerde him from that wyse man which in the part most hye Of fayre Apolloes stately hyll in lofty place doth lye Wherewith he smylde sayde O foole synkes it into thy minde That possyble on earth it is a wyse man here to finde He semeth wyse that is least foole the other sort among Although a dolt for wysedome doth to Gods alone belong Of number which we here are three for I am calde by name Sarracilus and Sathiell he Iaxa is thys same which though we walk in humain shape thus seeming men in face Yet Gods we be and nere the Moone we haue our dwelling place Whereas a number great of Gods of meanest sort doe lye That haue the guiding of the earth and Seas that ryse so hye This when I heard amasde I was and sore to dread began Yet seming bolde and voide of feare full lyke a pretye man â–ª I askde wherfore they went to Rome then aunswerde me the same A fellowe there of oures we haue that Ammon hath to name whom bounde to serue by Magike Arte a yong man there kepes straight Of Narni soyle that doth in court of Vrsin prelate wayght O what great power is graunted man the sprites he guides by line By this you well may vnderstande your soules to be diuine And voide of death For if no part of you should after raine If that your soule should dye as bodye here by death is slaine What power shoulde haue such foolishe beastes and trifling pyctures vaine Upon the sprites aboue And if no sacred thing remaine In you how should such Ghostes as we the force of man so waye Or vnto man of fading state in such a sort obaye Yea I my selfe was once Constrainde to serue a German wight Enclosde within a compast stone of Christall clere and height â–ª But at the length a bearded syre vnlosde me of these bandes And prison broken thence I fledde in hast from out his handes To Rome therefore we go with minde if that we may t'vntye From seruice straight a mate of oures that there doth captiue lye And so that downe to Hell we may conuaye this present night A sort of Romishe prelates proude that liue in great delight These words whyle as he spake a winde forthwith dyd pittling blowe Quoth Sathiell then O frendes froÌ„ Rome Remisses comes I knowe This winde that comes before declares nor herein did he lye For therwithall a fayre yong man Remisses stoode them bye They at hys comming all reioist and byd hym welcome there And aske what great affayres in Rome what newes doe there appere There all quoth he are bent to lust and Glotony doe minde With theft and guile all ours they be both man and womankinde But Clement there the Pope prepares an armye great in hast And seekes to haue the present state of Luther cleane defacde And Spanishe ensynes therfore kepes nor wyll he nowe dispute And him wyth scriptures ouerthrowe but with the sworde confute Away with counsaile now and hence with Luthers workes againe For Byshops now are battailes meete all other wayes are vaine Ne care they what the Apostles taught ne for the wordes of Christ But boast themselues as Lordes of all that may doe what they list They that haue power do feare no law law is with force opprest But we my mates doe
The chiefe and perfect good is God and who so him possest May called be of euery man the happiest man and blest But who can him obtayne to haue for ethe thing had as yet Is farre more vile than he that hath obtayned it to get And euery kind of thing possesr is eke of value lesse Than is the owner of the same that then doth it possesse For euen as sone thou mayst contayne the Occean sea as wet Wythin the compasse of a did or of an Oyster shel O candle set before the windes O subiect dust to graue Than Lord of such a mighty power by any meanes to haue Alone God al things doth possesse and hath himselfe alone He only hath the happy life besyde him blest is none A rertayne chiefest good there is besyde this same foresayd Which euery creature may obtayns yet like to them denayd For diuers natures all they haue some one thing this doth please Some other thing doth seeme agayne to be the others ease Al thing therfore may well obtayne a certayne happinesse If not so perfectly a God himself doth it possesse But by some meanes and for a 〈◊〉 while things that doth agree Wyth nature best he can obtayne ne feeles aduersitie But al things past now time requires that we should speake of man Who hath the chiefest good in hand and counted happy than When seeming vnto nature good he all things doth possesse And feeles in all his life no harme nor kinde of bytternesse This may be counted chiefest good that all good things contaynes That giues all kinde of pleasant things that puts away al paynes For only pseasure doth not make nor vertue yet doth giue The happy life as some do write in ground of Grece that liue Sith many goods of greater worth than fewe are counted playne As is the bushel counted more than one pore seely grayne One good thing giues not happinesse though it be chiefe and best But one in all that makes the lyfe compact in all the rest So can not only one that rules a towne procure to stand So can not of a thombe be framde a full and perfect hand And syth that of two partes we are the body and the minde Then happinesse the happy man in both these partes must finde He must be whole and sound in Corps and of a lusty might He must be fayre he must be fresh and of a liuely spright He must be good wise learnd discrete and gifts of both retayne Pore life not know nor hurtful chauÌ„ce and if he not remayne In long estate of happy yeares yet blest can he not be Though al the same commodities foresayd to him agree For happy life that doth not last almost is worth nothing As well haue certayne sayd before not one day makes the spring Ne bringeth it on Swallowes swaps But at his latest day With easy death and smallest payne must he depart away And passe with ioy the Stygian lakes resoulde from mortal dayes Nor in his life time glory wantes nor at his death his prayse But may there any one be found with vs that mortal are Which hath al these things in his time I think him very rare To whome nothing disyrde is lackt nor doleful chaunce doth light In al his time and yeares who liues and dyes in happy plight This is the very Phaenix byrd whome dust the Grecian fayne The Grecian of a foolish head and of a frantick brayne Who thought of one might yssue come and bones consumde that be To ashes colde a byrd to breede which neuer men could see But so that she may wonders sing this nation not esteames The truth to say a nation whole addict to toyes and dreames At whose example Latines dote the happy man therfore Is rare as Phaenix byrd But we are al both lesse and more In wretched case although yet some than some more misers be Bicause that like estate to al is not nor like degree He that therfore doth most good things and euil least sustayne May counted be a happy man but he whome cares do payne And fewe good things at al possesse may called be ful wel A wretched man syth none therfore is happy we must tel How least vnhappy we may be and how in better case Our liues to leade in greater ioy and with more pleasaunt grace And to begin I not beleue it true that al men prase How Bishops great and mighty Kings do liue in best estate For as in euery other thing extremity is thought But il to be the meane as good so here excesse is nought In riches for to much of eche doth hurt who hath therfore Most riches hath no better life than he that most is pore With euils like they vered be â—o he that is to fatte And hath his pauÌ„ch wyth guts bumbast not lighter is for that Nor soner moues than doth the wretch whose skinne doth leannesse fret The one doth feblenesse forbid the other fatnesse let And as the Seas with greater floudes and foming force doth yell And casts himselfe in mountaynes hie while he discouers Hell Amid the deapth the tempest roares and yet doth least appere Is moued most with raging windes but now the shoare ful nere The shallow Seas with louder noyse doth bounce vpon the sand So Kings that haue the power and rule of realmes in hand With greater cares tormented are and greater griefes of minde Although the common people yet these wouÌ„ds doe neuer finde For secretly within their heartes their torments they do hide Adde this thereto they alwayes haue a mischeus mate beside That vexeth them and feare it is suspecting euery twigge Here of sometime do treasons breede sometyme a Spanish figge They dare not walke alone nor eate except it tasted be More deare than any kinde of price O worthy libertie The chiefest Gem and Jewel fayre which taken once away Be swete and pleasant vnto men nothing inuented may And death it is alyue to be The pore and seely soule Where as he list both night and day in safety may go proule Eyther wythin the Cities wall their places fayre to see And playes beholde or view the signes of olde antiquity Or if his pleasure rather be without the wall to walke In Orchards fayre and gardens gay amyd the floures to stalke Or if desire of countrey sight remayne within his hart Nothing him lets but may alone when he seeth tyme depart He needes no shuffling sorte of men nor croude of clientes thicke As oft besyde as he doth thirst or hunger doth him pricke Apace he falles there to nor feare of poyson doth him let For baser foode the byrdes abrode in woods had rather get And greater pleasure farre they take in pecking seedes wyth payne Than if a cage of pearle and gold their bodies should contayne And there be fed with daynty meates Full oft a king therefore May liue in wretched case no doubt nor makes him happy more Beleue me now his regal crowne But on the
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
of other partes through al the body forth do runne But of this same in other place more playnly shal we write If God therein do fauour vs and Muses graunt vs sprite Suffiâ—eth now affections fyrst of al things else to be Wythin the minde the causes sprong of things wythout we see And after they by member bloud or other humours might Are spread abrode in euery parte and so thrust out to light For seing minde and body are ioynde the mouing nedes must be Common to both the harmes al one and chaunge in like degree Whatsoeuer thing the one perceyues the other feeleth it They both in nature doe agree so strongly are they knitte But now bycause we seeme to touch the typ of Scorpions toe Let vs my Muse of senses speake here briefly as we goe Fyue senses nature gaue to sucâ— as perfect creatures be But vnto some he delt not all which may be worthely Unperfect namde as Moles wormes and Scallops of the baye And Wilks Irchin ekâ— whom pricks incompast rounde araye Aniong these senses al the syght is thought the best to bee Bicause it is the chiefest meanes wherwith the minde doth see Declaring plaine the wondrous workes beasts that nature here doth frame such floures such fruits such her vs such such plantes such stones of name Such sundry sortes of mettalles fayre and shewing also plaine What Fyshes Proteus feedes in seas what Monsters there remaine And more than thys the stately roomes wherein the Gods doe lye The glistering globes of starres aboue and Phaebus shining hye Besydes the things that men doe heare that tongue can not displaye Thys sense therfore doth all excell and fayrest farre away In which the seate and chiefest place wherin the minde doth dwell Is thought to be for when we meetâ— or talke in presence tell Upon the others eyes we gase as man and minde and all Did there consyst who so the eyes the glasse of minde doth call Shall say the truth for pleasaunt loue in them doth fyrst gyue lyght There hate and â—iercenesse doth appere with mylde and gentle sprite There sadnesse ioy and mischief shewes with zeale and wysedome great And follye pride and feare and rage with fault and wrathfull heat But wherof doth the syght proceede the mindes let other see Of learned men I briefely shewe as I think best to be One lyfe there must be knowne to be of substance eke so fine As syght can neuer comprehende of force and power dâ—uine Which nature deales God doth giue thys feedes and makes to growe Doth breed doth moue doth heare tast doth smell see feele and knowe Which is the chiefe and greatest power most nere to saints on hye These powres she through y e body spreds in certaine partes to lye And by the eyes doth lyght let in and sundry coulers see And iudgeth playne of euery shape and all things else that be Receaueth also by the nose the smelles of sundry sort And by the eares doth vnderstande sounde noyse and great report By tongue descernes eche kinde of tast by feling knowledge brings Of hote from colde of harde from soft of rough from smothest things Companions fyue these are to lyfe and faithfull seruants sure That shewes hir all without the which she nothing coulde procure The eyes therfore as glassye made and as the Christall clâ—re Lyke as a glasse receyue the shapes that we doe looke on here By power wherof are things desernde if that the eye be sounde These sorts of things vnto the minde for as in hyghest grounde Hir stately seate in head the holdes the eye doth plainely showe Whose ymage truely shadowed there she wyse doth straight wayes knowe So wondrously she doth perceiue a sundry sort of soundes When in the helthy vnharmed eares the ayre therof reboundes For ayre of slendrest substance is and moueth by and by Which beaten with the noise doth shuÌ„ne and from the stroke doth flye And pearcyng breakes into the eares though close be kept the glasse And close the dore so fine it is that inwarde it will passe For euen the fyshe when fyâ—hers harde with poales the floudes â—â—e plashe For feare of noyse flye fast from thence and thick in nettes doe mashe For ayre to depth of seas doth pearce vp mountes the waues thereby And tempests roares w t dreadfull noyse the shipman out doth crye And vowes to offer sacred giftes As oft therfore as wee Doe finde two things togither knockte as oft as ayre we see Moued vehemently but chiefly then when through these hollowed things By narrowe straightes it passeth out thence diuers voices springs As diuers are the sortes of them as place doth fashion take In which the ayre doth sundry soundes and sundry voices make So soundes the Trumpet otherwyse by farre than shalme doth blowe And well we may the Tymbrels tune from sounde of sawtrey knowe For as by stroke of stone in streame doe many cyrcles ryse So moued the ayre w t whirling wheele doth spread in largest guise And therfore into many eares one voice doth easely passe As where a number be one syght is seene in euery glaue But how the nose receiueth smell let vs say something here A slender fume from euery thing arisyng doth appere Which broade in ayre doth spred it selfe as Frankconcense we see Or Myrrhe if that vpon the coales the powder poured bee By meanes of tongue is taste perceiude and roufe of mouthe besyde For by these twaine the taste smatche of euery thing is tryde Which pearcing straight doth touch the sense therof is taste begonne But feeling bloud and sprite procures which through the bodye runne Thys sense doe creatures all possesse and taste they all receiue But man doth better them enioye and them more right perceiue Hereof to man more wysedome doth than to the rest aryse Some thys denye and saye the things foresayde are otherwyse Alowing not that formes receyued in eyes cause syght to be Or that the ayre we neede as meane to heare or for to see For the almighty King doth giue so many powers to minde As in the world he framed things that varie in their kinde That she might al things comprehend she knowes wel what to be Hir proper kinde and more perceyues Minde al things plaine doth see And al things ponders prudently that senses to hir brings And wyth celestial trial wayes the true and vertuous things To Lyfe therefore is minde the Sunne the senses Starres doe seeme So some affirme but we make haste and leaue these things to deeme To other men for nye we come to ende of Libra here Bycause the feete of Scorpion signe do playnly now appere My sayings yet do plainly teach the soule Celestiall To be which voyd of body liues and giueth lyfe to all Discerning also euery thing as farre as God giues leaue For al things here of him their force determinde do receyue To him eternal power belongs al things doth he create And makes al things that
soule of man doth neuer dye and body liues without But thys ynough time biddes me ende nor ignoraunt am I That soule of many although vnapt is termde a melodye And as of sundry voices moued an harmony proceedes Of sundry compoundes medeyne made which force of healyng brcedes So of the ioyned elaments by certayne meane and way Created of the heauens eke the soule to be some say A part wherof in body dwels and part abrode doth lye As syght doth spring of outwarde lyght and vertue of the eye For Heauen is the chiefest cause from which all things doe spring wythout whose ayde y e earth coulde not nor seas breede any thing But thys opinion is not true for if it should be so The soule with flesh should neuer striue nor once against it go But euermore in one agree As euery powre doth showe That wonted are of myâ—ed things by sprite diuine to growe As in the kinde of hearbs apperes and in the precious stone Some think the soule doth not remaine when fleshe is from it gone Bicause that heauy sluggishe sleepe the nerest thing that may Resemble death doth seeme to take both sense and minde away Or for bycause they see the minde wyth sycknesse diuersly So vext and harmde that it can not the place it hath supply And with the body to encrease wyth which it eke decayes As well apperes in children yong and men of elder dayes Fonde is the childe the man discrete the olde man doteth styll For weake vnweldy wythered age doth minde and body spyll And more say they if that the soule of substance be diuine And seured from these fleshly lyms may leade a lyfe more fine Then why should it in wretched fleshe so seeke it selfe to place By whose defect so many yls and mischiefe it deface But fonde she is therfore if that she doe this willingly And if perforce she be compelde in carcasse caued to lye who doth coÌ„straine Doth God himself then hir he naught esteemes Nay which in prison vile he puts to hate he rather seemes More of it selfe except it learne synce it doth nothing knowe And oftentimes forgetfulnesse the minde doth ouerthrowe Therefore they iudge it nothing is when body here doth dye For learne it cannot senses deade which it knowes all things by Some other say that soule there is in all the worlde but one Which giueth lyfe to euery thing as Sunne but one alone There is that makes all eyes to see eternall think they this Though bodyes dye as eyes put out the Sunne eternall is These trifles fonde it is not harde wyth reason to disproue But here I longer am I feare than it doth me behoue There shal not want that such demauÌ„de shall aunswere once at full And all the doubtes therin assoyle and knots asunder pull O man of sharpe and pregnant wyt thy prayse shall liue with mine Our labours doubt not shall coÌ„mende the men of later time They famous worke attempt seedes of Heauen on earth go sowe This one thing will I more put to that euery man may knowe The soule immortall for to be and sprong of heauenly grace If senses and affections all he will restraine a space If that dispisyng worldly ioyes and earthly thoughtes resynde wyth dayly labour he attempt to God to lyfte hys minde Then perfect wisedome shall he haue and things to come foretell Awake or else in heuye sleepes perceiue the same as well In thys sort did the Prophetes olde the things to come declare The sober minde therefore doth come more nere to heauenly fare The farther from the fleshe it flyes and from the earthly care But lyke to beastes the greatest sort doe liue as sense doth wyll And thinke none other good to be but fleshe to haue hys fill Hereof 〈◊〉 comes that many think the soule with body dyes Bicause they see not things diuine with weake and fleshly eyes But of the soule thys shall suffise let vs returne againe To him that made the world whom we conclude for to remaine Of body voide and thousandes more that body line without As thick as in the woodes the leaues doe cluster trees about And if they bodyes haue at all so purely are they finde That sense of ours cannot perceiue but onely seene of mynde But thou my Muse be silent here and when hys wyll shall be And pleasure eke who moues my lips then shalt thou searche with me The cause of things that vnderueath the cyrcle of the Moone We see to passe if they by chaunce or fatall force be done And whylst while as the Sunne y e backe of Lyon flaming fryes And doubling oft hir creaking voyce the Greshop chyrping cryes Encompast with the shadowing grasse let vs finde out in shade Of Lawrell or sweete Mirtle tree where hushing noyse is made Of streames that flowes from Parnas springs a quiet resting place For rest doth well refreshe the minde and calles againe the grace And straight when as wyth quietnesse our strength is come againe I wyll if thou wilt fauour me and me wyth grace mayntayne Attempt to touch the stately tunes and if the almighty King with countenance sweete do graunt me ayde my labour long pitying And pouerty driue farre from me and bytter cares expel Al wholly wyl I liue wyth thee and alwayes wyth thee dwel This onely shal be my delight my selfe then shal I fyll Wyth pleasant Aganippaes streames and syng on Cirphâ—s hyll Scorpius the eyght Boke THe cause why mortal state doth pas such croked coÌ„trary wayes Some sort in honour happily do spend their ioyfull dayes And other some in myserie oppressed continually Wyth dayly moyling vexed sore in fame obscure do lye Fayre Muse declare for vnto thee it lawful is to knowe The councels of the Goddes aboue and secrets for to showe Some men by blinde disordred chaunce thinke all things done to be Nor world by reason to be ruled bycause they most things see Wyth vndeserued goods adourned and most things plagued agayne Uniustly vext wyth noysome ils and difference none to rayne The iust and vertuous men opprest and Rake helles hiely placed And vice than vertue more esteemed and Churches al defaced Wyth fyry flame of thunder cracks and most men for to gayne By synfull vsage of themselues and craft of subtyle brayne Such when they see to come to passe the greatest parte surmyse Eyther no Gods at al to be or else that they dispise The base affayres of mortal men And only heauens minde therfore they rash and blindely say Uncertayne chaunce in euery thing doth beare the chiefest sway But Fortune some to thee do giue the gouernance ouer al And thee Lady chiefe of euery thing on earth do cal And that thou holdst the scepters here wyth browes that sowrely frowne And wyth thy false vnstable wheele turnst al things vpsyde downe To thee the olde deceyued age dyd buyld their altares hye And often tymes before thy face their sacrifice dyd lye Some are besides that do
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
tymes of olde He knewe me straight for oft he had hys mothers hestes me tolde And when eche other greted was he much things asked of me And after brought me to a towne of hugest quantitie The loftye walles of Diamonde strong were raysed hye and framde The bulwarks built of Carbuncle that all as fiery flamde O Lorde what gorgeous houses there and goodly syghtes I saw As Temples fayre and Theaters and streetes and seares of lawe Al framed of syluer gold and stone and more of goodly kinde I there beheld but cannot now beare al away in minde And though I could remembre al yet God doth not allowe That coÌ„mon peoples heads shuld know the state of all and how I wondred at the number great that through the city so Al clad in white by thousands thick amyd the streates to go Their heads beset wyth garlands fayre in hand the Lillies white They ioyful beare Menarchus guyde of Cynthyus kingdome bright Remembring oft w t Himnes they syng and swete agreing layes Menarchus name they oft rehearse Menarch wyth Psalme they prayse Menarchus name did Eccho lowde resounding oft send out He vanquished in happy fielde th' Arcadian giants stout As then Timalphes tolde to me wyth wordes that were not vayne Once was quoth he Arcadia voyd of hylles and al lay playne There dreadful giants kingdome held as Maenalos the hye And Pholoe and Lyceus great that ioyed in woods to lye And Erymanth whose shoulders bare the backes of sauage swine Cyllenes eke that boylde wyth spyte agaynst the powers diuine Who fyrst before the rest presuming al of force and might Durst giue ill language to the Moone wyth wordes of canckred spite That they before hir long were borne and of more noble race And so that they deserue the names of Gods and higher place Besydes in rage a towre they built amyd the skies to looke O Nemroth larger farre than thine and wyth an yron hooke Attempted thrice from place to pluck this Goddesse where she standes Bloud red for feare to see hir selfe so nere to wretches hands Menarchus gaue them thrice repulse wyth valeant force and might And thrice the iuice out prest from gras of olde Saturnus spright Among them â—ast the poyson runnes straight wayes through al their bones Wyth chyâ—ling colde consumed w t payn they leaue their liues at once And vggly soules they cleane forsake which hel below receaues Wher as with paynes they plagued are that neuer after leaues But now their bodies quite destroyde by force of venome late Their carcasse turnde to lofty hilles kepes name wyth chaunged state Whereby this deede and triumph great in minde the Moone men heare And celebrate wyth solemne pompe this feast from yeare to yeare And to their king they worship make with great and ioyful cheare Thus passing forth we found a tower that all of Gold did shine Al wrought set wyth precious stones of sundry colours fine Here quoth my guyde no mortal man may euer set his feete We stayde therfore and by the space of large and ample streete On euery syde we might beholde approching soules at hand And there before the seate and place of iudgement for to stand Which placed was agaynst the towre and wrought right cunningly Three sonnes of Ioue and fayth begot syt there in seaâ—es ful hye To iudge the soules regarding wel of al their sinnes the store And vertuous deedes that euery man hath done in earth before Telescopus and Dorophon Philorthus frend alway To iustice these desertes and faultes in perfect balance way And by their iudgements very fewe to heauen did ascend But thousands of the same agayne to earth did downe descend And many also in the Moone they did commaund to stay Astonished long wyth gasyng syght at length I gan to say Declare to me good guyde quoth I if Hell beneath doth lye In deepest dongeon of the earth and to the Center nye And soules thereto conueyde they say the corse clapt vnder hearce Olde Aeacus and Minos there and Radamanthus fearce Do euer iudge and giue rewardes or else deserued payne How chaunceth it I here beholde the like thing done agayne Mannes mind quoth he in pryson dark of carcasse shut doth lye And forced by fault and ignorance is led by wayes awry By this is man to dreames and toyes of nature prone and bent And from the truth he wanders farre if grace do not preuent No maruel thoe if many things your Poets false haue song Bycause to treade the steppes of truth lies not in euery tong But thou haue alwayes well in minde these mysteries I tell All things are good and neuer fade aboue the Moone that dwell Nor griefe can vexe those sacred states But all that nature framed beneath the Moone is nought and ill And lawe seuere of death doth feele and force of time to spyll These places doth the middle spheare of Moone in twaine deuide Placde equally betwixt the worlde doth boundes to heauen bide Thus when that lyfe is fledde all soules are brought vnto thys place And here pleade gilty or vngilty before the iudges face By whose awarde to certaine roomes according to their deedes They straight are sent receiuing there for their desertes their meedes And euery one the henyer they with heapes of vice are made The deeper they descende the pyt of darke infernall shade Agayne the better that they be and farther of from crime So much they higher mounting vp more nye the heauens clime But they whose ylles do counterpease the vertues of their minde For to remaine about the Moonâ— are many yeares assinde Tyl eyther falling fresh to vice when many yeares are spent They turne to earth or purged wel are into heauen sent Loe thus he sayd But then agayne what is the cause quoth I That soules so fewe the starres approch and gayne the heauens hie Why runne they hedlong so to vice and Misers vertue flye Why more esteme they dark than light and rather synne to apply Than vertue pure where of to them doth so great madnesse rise What will so fond doth them beguile what fansy bleares their eyes Then aunswered thus Aretes sonne both I do it desire And mete it is that I disclose the things thou dost require And many other things besyde which thou thy selfe shalt say Are worthy to be learned here and to be borne away Since here wythout the power of God I know thou canst not come Who list such things to thee to shewe before the gates of whome No man aliue may once approch except by him assinde Then now giue eare and what I say beare wel away in minde But nedeful fyrst it is for vs a little hence to walke We went and in a lofty tower we both syt downe to talke From whence both seas land ful plain we might beholde and see Then thus from sacred brest this voice he vttred out to me As of them selues the soules can not be yll nor bent to synne Since
wise Wyth browes full broade threatning loke and fyry flaming eyes Two monstrous hornes large he had and nostrils wide in sight Al black himself for bodies black to euery euyll spright And vggly shape hath nature dealt yet white his teeth did showe And white his grenning tuskes stode large wings on him did growe Framde like the wings of Flindermics his feete of largest sise In fashion as the wilde Duck beares or Goose that creaking cries His tayle such one as Lions haue Al naked sate he there But bodies couered round about wyth lothsome shagged haire A number great about him stoode a wondrous forte of men A greater company I think than Xerxes trayned when By force of armes vnhappy man the Greckes he did inuade And scarce in safety could returne wyth al the flight they made Eche one of them in hand a hooke did holde and Belbowes beare Wyth bellowes for to fyll their heades with winde whom Fortune here Had eyther lent great store of golde or whome they saw ful well In learning beauty state or strength their fellowes to excell Wyth hooke such as wyth wantō wind were puft sufficiently Amyd the smoky lakes to cast wyth Snakes and Toades to lye And other monsters there that dwelt This lusty foresayd King Tiphurgus had to name as sayd my guide that tolde eche thing Then where the Sūne doth downward fall amyd the westerne streames From whence among the Spaniards he throwes his latest beames I cast mine eyes and like the fyrst low another King in syght I had that sate in seat aloft his name Aplesto hight A number great of sprites he rulde such as amyd the west Are bred and such as in those partes do dwel and haue their rest Eche one of them a Serpent holdes a flesh hooke also hath Then spake Timalphes in this sorte seest thou quoth he to wrath How euery man their Serpents moue and pinching oft do touch That sharper may they set their teeth and poyson more by much Destil in hearts of earthly men for they on whome doth hitte The force of those such poisoned teeth do forth wyth lose their witte And he auenly things do cleane despise and wyth such thirst they broyle That licoure none can them suffise wyth drink in vayne they toyle And while thus euermore in vayne they drink and styll are drye Unmindful of their death theyr lot themselues and heauens hye Then strayght at hād these diuels come wyth hookes as here you see And catcheth them strykes the throtes that yet ful thirsty be To fling in flouds of thorney lake where as wyth wondrous paynes They punnisht are wyth Monsters vile that secret there remaynes Blond specially wyth bloudsuckers that thick about them lies And hyting styll both day and night them plages in piteous wyse At length they yeld agayne the bloud that whilst they here did liue They suckt from men nor ease of smart no space of yeares can giue This King both makes and plages such men as couetous he made Thys sayd I turnde my eyes to starres that glide in coldest glade Wheras our Pole doth plaine beholde and viewe the double beare And where Bootes driues hys waine in euer rowling spheare And there an other king I see and thousande spirites ill That dwel about those northerne partes whose handes great hookes doe fill Then sayd my guide this king y t raigns in partes of Boreas colde Of Lechery and Gloconye doth Crowne and Scepter holde Philocreus eke to name he hath in fraude full lyke the rest O Lord with how great harmes doth he poore mortall men molest For on these hookes that here thou seest the baytes that tast full well He tyeth fast where poyson lurkes of filthy flouds of hell And wyth these baytes he doth cōmaūde the doltishe fooles to take And catcht in puddles to be cast of muddy miery lake Who straight transformed into shape of vgglye beastes appeares Both Swine and Asses Bulles Foxe and wolues and lothsome Beares And others Monsters voide of minde Nor this doth yet suffyse with Harnets waspes Betels blinde that rounde about there flyes Continually they vexed are Lo thus Philocreus men are plagued in piteous painefull wyse That couet onely carnall ioyes and vertue here despyse Thus sayth my guide but I my eyes about the southerne pole Do cast frō whence y e clouds are causde in euery place to rolle with stedfast syght I note what sort of sprites I there can see And flocks of fendes w t wings full black that swiftly flying bee Amongst them all a mighty king there stoode with Crowne of pride wyth lowring browes and dogged loo 〈…〉 and in hys mouth full wyde A monstrous tongue he hissyng shocke and lyke the lothsome Snake He castes abroade from out hys throte a fylthy poyson black Such as the adder while he burnes wyth loue of Lamprey long Much fearing for to harme his ioy wyth deadly venome strong Casts vp among the ragged rocks and hydes it secretly And springing straight with lusty leape into the seas doth flye And calling oft wyth hyssing sound doth seeke his louers deare Who runnes to meete hir mate in hast whose voyce she weldoth heare And both wyth much embracing ioyne But when their pleasaunt play Is fully past and finished the Snake wyth ioy away Doth swimme to land and on the rocke whereas his poyson lay He searcheth for his owne defence which if he finde away Or spylt or troden vnder foote such griefe he then sustaynes That mourning weary of his life he dasheth oft his braynes Agaynst the sharp and ragged stones tyl that his breath at last Wyth al his wretched paynes griefe by death be ouerpast Such was this King and such did seme his subiectes for to be Oft tymes the Prince a paterne is vnto the commontie with Fawchon great in right hand held eche one of them he goeth Al black both face and teeth and lippes al ful of fylthy froth This King was Lord of enuy great Timalphes colde me there And that Miastor was his name by whose awarde seucre His seruants fyll the heartes of men wyth froth of canckred spyte Then runnes the plague through euery veine and euery where doth light But most of al doth vexe the eyes that they 〈◊〉 suffer may To see their fellowes lyue in wealth but thereat pyne away At last they thrust thē through w t dartes and soules ful sicke expell Whereon wyth triple throte doth chaw the fiendish hound of Hel And chawed to poisō strong doth turn and of their bodies spring Fowl Scorpions which although they fawne wyth tayle do deadly sting But now behold the middle partes that in the ayre doth lye And there Sarcotheus see aboue the rest a King most hie And of them al most mischieuous The other Kings that be Do feare and also worship hym the power and rule hath he Of al the diuels in the world from whome the mischiefs al Do flowe as from a poynt and
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
and heate that raging broyles And all corrupt and filthy ayres and fennishe moory soyles Especially in sommer tyme when dogge with fyerie â—eene Doth cleaue the fieldes Grashopperâ— â–ª syng vnder braunches greene In fine our selues we must apply with all our force and might To bodyes health that so it may obey the minde aright Which scarse can wel be brought about if pouertye denye Needes must we money haue by chauÌ„ce or gift of some that dye Or else by trade of occupying in any facultye For euermore the nedy man doth suffer miserye Nor without riches possible a happy lyfe to leade Alas how often vertue poore doth mourne with heauy heade How much despysed she styll doth lye if money be away Him truely and in proper kinde a ryche man call we may That flowes with wit and eloquence with wysedome and with art And wheresoeuer he becomes can gaine an honest part And portion for himselfe to liue and though he iorney makes To diuers places farre from home hys substance with him takes And neuer wanteth needefull things a ioyfull lyfe to leade Nor feare the theeues nor doth y e sword â–ª or cruell robbers dreade And quickly doth hymselfe repaire though he be spoyled quite For vertue true giues neuer place to Fortunes frowning spite For euery dwelling in the worlde doth natiue soyle appere Unto the vertuous man and well he liueth euery where But he that vertue lackes although he great possessions holde And purses stuffed full wyth coyne and Coffers full of golde Yet can he not go where he lyst nor trauaile euery place To see the countreys straunge abrode and men of sundry grace And euery were to liue for house and grounde and Castels strong He can not beare about wyth hym in all hys iorneys long Least y t perchaunce w t theeues he meete or perishe on the shore And then for Gods sake aske hys meate at euery other dore At home therefore he alwayes dwels and in hys countrey lyues Where as hys ground a great increase of Corne and wyne hym giues And as a banisht man he feares beyonde the boundes to go That slouthfulnesse of minde chaunce to him assigned so Wherby the goodly syghtes abrode he can not viewe nor marke Whyle still at home he hidden lyes as pent in dongeon darke Therfore the olde Philosophers by fine inuention founde A certaine stone that where they went or trauailed any grounde Prouided them of needeful things and neuer would decay By ayde wherof full many landes and countreys farre away They might hehold and alwaies learne of many sundry artes And thus of olde the Gods aboue besought with humble heartes The sacrifyce on altare slaine before as was the trade To Mercury the Sunne and Moone Lo thus their prayers made O Titan beauty of the worlde O fayrest God in syght O thou Latonia dryuing hence the shadowes of the nyght O swyftly fleecing restlesse Impe of Ioue and Maia borne That able arte to chaunge thy selfe to shapes of sundry forme Be present here and bowe your eares to our complaints and crye Beholde a fewe whose mindes wittes are in degree full hye That wisedome most of all esteme whyle cause of euery thing And secrete state of nature hyd to lyght we seeke to bring And meat with minde the mighty skye vs neede doth ouertread And many great missehappes we feele of hunger almost dead Whyle as the doltishe common sort doe all things rake and snatche And all the money heaping vp into their coffers catche Nor any of them doth pity vs and if we aske a myte Then poynting at vs straight they iest and make of vs but light Wherby we are constraynde to delue or else attendance gyue On toyling beastes or cary doung scarce know we how to lyue And Idiotes are we made to serue Wherfore you Goddes aboue Haue pyty yet at length of vs if good mennes state you moue And shew an easy way by which we may liue honestly And for to search the secrete dennes where truth doth hydden lye These prayers hearde the Gods anone thus calde came forth in place And fyrst did Phebus aunswere make O noble worthy race Of halfe Goddes Skies deseruing wel and fauour eke from hye Now hearken wel and in your mindes let these my sayings lye Take here this yong Archadian bloud and swyft vntrusty swayne And plunged deepe in Stygian streates let him forthwyth be slayne In bosome thrust of Hyales him let the Gods receaue Whome Lemnian countrey worshippeth and hye aloft him heaue Then bury him in warmed wombe and corrupted him vndoe Whose dropping ioyntes a sprite shall pearce that falles our bodies fro And wondrously shal call agayne deceasde and quenched quite Him from the darke new clad in cloke of golde and shining bright Wyth syluer shew then him agayne amyd the fyer cast An other strayght shall spring thereof as Phaenix chaunging fast And perfect leaue the bodies all that it shall feale or touch The bondes and lawes of nature here surmounting aye by much Shal chaunge the kindes driue away this needy pouerty Here Phebus ceasde and Mercury and Dian did agree To all that he declared had forthwith away they flye Ascending to the lofty place and compasde beauens hye Then men of hauty sense they blinde and aunswere all to darke Long pondring in their doubtful minde do muse theron and marke And scarce in longest race of tyme wyth proues of sundry kinde And not wyth little charges did this arte at fyrst out finde Than which no arte more worthy is the heauenly stone to frame Which wicked people neuer knowe nor can obtayne the same And this whosoeuer doth enioy may dwell in any land Both free froÌ„ feare of fortunes wheele and force of robbers hand But vnto felwe the Gods vouchsaue so great a gift to giue Some wil demaund if it be meete for wyse men here that liue To linck themselues in wedlocks bond and so the time to spend In procreation here of youth Though some do this commend Yet this in mine opinion is for holly men not meete For care of wife doth often let and loue of children sweete The wyttes deuine of wysest men that do their mindes apply About such hye and hauty things as secretes of the Skye Let him that only seekes the worlde reioyce in wyfe and childe And often to himselfe procure the Gods of Mariage milde But let the wiseman alwayes ioye in chaste and single plight And euerwore liue vndefilde in body and in spright For he that doth wyth slender fare and small himselfe content And doth abstayne from carnal vse and prayer styll frequent And lifting minde aboue the starres beholdes the chiefe degree Shal oft enioy the speach of God and oftentimes him see In happy state shall tell before the things that after spring A sacred Gemme is chastitie to God most thankfull thing Unto the chaste he oft appeares and secretes oft doth tell Againe the filthy lecherye and pastimes meete for hell
wordes hee should coÌ„mit his facultie to fame Which should be rather folly calde and not a facultie But in the state diuine of God and glorious maiestie We must beleeue is nothing vayne since Godliest is the same Thus God what so euer he could doe assurely did frame Least that his vertue were in vayne and euer should lye hyd But since he could make endlesse things it must be thought he dyd And all his power there in employed so that there did remaine In him no kinde of power or force that ydle were or vayne But learned Aristotle sayth there can no body be But that it must of boundes consist to this do I agree Bicause aboue the Skies no kinde of body we do place But light most pure of body voyd such light as doth deface And farre excel our shining Sunne such light as comprehend Our eyes can not and endlesse light that God doth from him send Wherein togither with their King the sprites that are more hie Do dwell the meaner sorte beneath in Skies do alwayes lie Therfore the raygne and portion of the world consists in three Celestiall Subcelestiall which with limits compast be The rest no bounds may comprehend which bright aboue the Skie Doth shine with light most wonderfull But here will some replie That without body is no light and so by this denie That light can neuer thoe be found aboue the heauens hie But at vs vaynly doth he barke in vaine he doth contend For reason doth my words approue and veritie defend I pray thee shew what is the cause that here the Sunne doth shine Bicause his matter giues him light or rather forme deuine That doth so great a globe contayne for forme and fashion gay To all things state of being giues as Naturesearchers say With whome we also do agree this same doth playnly showe That Forme not Matter makes y e suâ— to shine From Forme doth flowe All kinde of force and comelinesse And if so greate a light Assigned be to bodyly Formes why should we in this plight Deny that incorporeall states may any light contayne Since that more pure and fine they are and fayrer farre agayne Wherefore the sprites and ghosts aboue do shine with wondrous light Although it can not be discernde of our corrupted sight So that among these Saincts the more their state and powre is hie With brighter beauty much they shew and greater maiestie No golde no pearls nor precious stones nor pompe of purple gowne Doth them as it doth vs set out but light is their renowne And as the Sunne amongst the starres doth shine with goodliest light So shines among the Saincts aboue the LORD of greatest might And neuer darkneth them a whit but makes them all to shine Such is the goodnesse of his grace and maiestie deuine But here perchaunce he wyll obiect that in the ayre doth lye No ground of light and since no ayre there is aboue the Skye He wyll deny that there is light But now he lies agayne For ayre is not the ground of light nor as some fondly fayne Is light in ayre but contrary the ayre in light doth dwell If reason what not Aristotle doth say he marketh well For if without the dores fast shut a candle burneth bright Or by some clift the fier shine in house all voyde of light And some there with the ayre about the beame with striking shakes The ayre is forced to passe the light but light no mouing makes And if the ayre were ground of light then with one motion so Both ayre and light should moued be and both togither goe Beside if that in time of night a man with Torch in hand Should passe y t light doth places chauÌ„ge but ayre doth quiet stand Which if to light it subiect were it should continually Go wander place by place with light and styll keepe company But now this same is nothing so but doth contrary proue For light doth passe when aire doth stay and styll with torch doth moue Wherby it appeares that light doth not the ayre as subiect neede But well may stand and well wy 〈…〉 the vse of ayre procéede Especially the light of God whereof a parte doth passe Into our sunne and there is kepâ— contaynde as in a Glasse For as within his propre spheare that vnder Moone doth lye No fier can discerned be by force of any eye But if that any matter chaunce to kindle with the same Then Starres do fall and firy streams in Sommer nights do flame And other sights that feare the mindes of men in dreadfull wise So as it is the light of God can not be seene with eyes But fixed in the Sunne it shines bycause the matter cleare Whereof the Sunne is made is fitte and apt for light t' appeare For God hath framde it in such sorte as there his light may byde And shine creating day and life and goodly things beside That light doth also shine in shapes of sundry sacred sprites Though not alike to all as Starres shine not with equall lights But some more bright than others be as they are set before And as a candle can giue light to many candels more And yet doth neyther lose nor lesse his beauty burning bright So light of God decreasing not to other Saincts giues light But some perchauÌ„ce will here demauÌ„de and doubtfull question finde If that besides this light that I declarde of endlesse kinde Doth any other thing consist without the world so great Though this be neyther meete nor fitte for mortall men t' entreat Yet wyll I proue to passe the path wherein no Poet yet That hath bene hither to before might euer set his feete And wyll attempt to bring to light the treasures hie in place Of God if he be pleasde and helpe with his accustomed grace First must we grauÌ„t that God is spring and Father â—ke of all Who made all things and best chiefe him may we truly call Therefore where so euer GOD abides his glory there is found And euery good and gorgeous sight doth in that place abound And thus what so euer good the earth the seas or ayre contaynes All this is séene in place whereas the LORD almighty raygnes And though no matter be in such yet iudge not thou therfore They being lacke for perfecter and fayrer they be more than things that are of matter made For forme that can it selfe sustayne wythout this matters hand Is perfecter than that which voyd of matter cannot stand Therefore all voyd of matter there things perfect are and pure And in despite of fretting age and force of fate endure And store of goodly things are there that in this worldly light GOD hath not made from which procéedes great ioyes Saincts delight Such ioyes as tong of mortall man can neuer full define Such ioyes as neuer can decay with space of any time These incorporeal formes were known to minde of Plato hie Although the enuious sorte do scorne his bookes full bytterly But
eury man doth not aspire these mysteries to knowe A fewe them finde to whome the LORD aboue doth fauour showe And giues to them his light that they these things may playne beholde In fine there sprites and Angels are as many thousand folde As all the woods contayne in leaues or all the shores in sand Or all the Fishes in the seas or sâ—arres in Skie that stand Yea number none can them containe for since that GOD could frame Them numberlesse he sure so dyd the more to spread his name Especially since that the world doth voyd of li 〈…〉 s lye As is before declared playne and reason strong doth trye But since they voyd of body be and Matter all away Therfore they neuer chaunge in tyme nor age doth them decay No greese they feele nor sleeps nor foode at any time they craue Nor labour knowe but ioyfull youth continually they haue And freedome chiefe no bondage there no seruants in degree Nor none there are that there compels nor none compelled bee One onely Lord they do confesse the King and spring of all Him worship they and him they loue and serue in generall They willingly do him obey and serue in euery thing Reioycing all his laud and prayse and wondrous actes they sing Eche one doth there apply himselfe to please with goodly grace No fighting there no cancred spite nor enuy can haue place Continuall peace there florisheth great loue and concorde great Among them is suspicion none no craft nor false deceat In fine the goodliest parte it is of all the world beside And farre more worthy are the sprites that in this place abyde Than those that in the Skies do dwell and in the Starres do lye For looke as lower euery spheare doth come to earth more nye The meaner sprites it doth conâ—ayne and meaner goods doth giue And so much baser is the same whereby such things as liue Aboue the Skie as they most fayre and good and blessed show So those that in the bowels darke of earth do dwell below Are most ylfauoured vile and yll and there not all in vayne The stinking lakes and soyels of Hell to be did Poets fayne Of Hell where men do after death their paynes for michiefe take And vainely seeke for rest and peace in euer darkned lake But wherfore waste I words in winde and striuing all in vaine Doe seeke vnto such Buzzards blinde the trothe to open plaine So sore the state of mankinde dotes that it will neuer knowe That eyther Gods in Heauen be or sprites in Hell belowe But most men laugh if any man do tell them credibly That after death the soules doe liue and neuer more doe dye Hence springeth it that night and daye they richesse séeke to gaine This is their greatest carke and care their greatest toyle and paine That they in Golde and Jewels maye their neighbours farre excell Golde is the thing that all men seeke in golde their hope doth dwell For thys runnes into raging warres the Captaine stout of minde For thys his Children wyfe and house and countrey left behinde The Marchaunt cutting foming seas in shyp with sayles set out Assayes the blewe and dreadfull gulfes and coastes the worlde about Eche man doth practise craft and thefte this golde to keepe in sight Golde euery man desires and loues golde pleaseth euery wyght Ne feare they any kinde of paynes that after death is due O altogither earthly men else that onely in the viewe FroÌ„ beasts are knoweÌ„ CaÌ„ you nought than golde to knowledge call By which a wyse man from a foole doth differ nought at all Wherewith fonde fortune ill men oft habundantly doth feede Learne you that many things there are that golde doe farre exceede Which vnto fooles and wicked men of God not giuen be These are the vertues Godlinesse iustice and prudencye And wysedome passing farre the rest These goods who doth retaine A mortall God is and the same immortall man agayne That after death shall happy be but he that hath them not And staines himselfe with filthy sinnes when death his shaft hath shot shall headlong into Hell be cast These are not trifles tales or dreames but true and sure they be Yea most assurde beléeue it well you blinde beleeue you me Woe be to you if that you wyll not me herein beleeue For life shall quickly you forsake and then you shall perceyue That I sayd true euen then when as your soules in Hell shall lye You laugh but this your ioy shall chaÌ„ge to teares and greeuous cry The time shall come when many men that now in welthy pride Do beare the sway and scornefully both God and man deride All naked bare in miserie and wretched case shall lye And shall of others ayde require with pyteous wofull crye Wherfore O you that haue delight in good and Godly things Endewed with a better soule whose rootes from heauen springs These earthly Gods that as the cloudes away doe swifely flye Which fortune vnto fooles and knaues doth giue most commonlye And which a fewe yeares ended once doth death take cleane away Regarde not muche nor in such things your heape or treasure laye Seeke you no more than that which is for lyfe sufficient A small thing certes will suffise with little liue content But let your chiefe delight be in the sacred seates on hye Seeke heauenly things w t all your force to this your mindes applye In Heauen are the perfect goods that euermore remaine Which neuer foolishe dolt shall haue nor wicked man obtaine In earth whatsoeuer doth delight are trifles all and toyes Which fooles and beastly people seeke and count as chiefest ioyes For which a thousande hazardes great they rashely vndertake And offring vp their foolishe brestes to death they skirmishe make Of thys they bost the Bytle doth in dong reioyce to lye Things filthy filthy folkes doe loue and villaines villanie Leaue earthly things to earthly minds let swine in durt delight And let your only trauaile be to gaine the heauens bright The goodlyest things doe best become the men of best degree And valiant things most meetest are for them that valiant bee The earth is but a Chery fayre God hath to you assynde The heauens for your countrey swéete your countrey séeke to finde That when from bondes of body thou escaped art and gone And left your fleshe for dogges to féede or wormes to gnawe vpon You there may alwayes happy liue from fleshe vncleane exempt And lame and often weary limmes wherin whylest you were pent Remaining in the vale of teares and in the mortall rayne Both many harmes and sicknesses and griefes you did sustaine For so the earth may called bée which is the stable sure Of all the worlde the mother and the nurse of vice vnpure Wheras the raging Deuill dwels the king of sinfull kinde Wherfore it needefull is that you haue often death in minde And with your selues consider well how nere the dore he standes Still threatning with