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
Vatis Sunt in maternos quae tibi versa sonos Omnia quae pulchrè Musisque fauentibus ipse Scripsisti Vatum munere digna sacro To the right Honorable Sir William Cecill Knighte principall Secretary to the Queenes highnesse Maister of her Maiesties Courte of Wardes and Liuereyes THe fauorable accepting of my simple trauayles lately dedicated vnto your honor hath so much boldened and thorowelye encouraged me that mawgre the despite of most reprochfull tongs I haue not feared to finish the course of my long pretended race with no lesse profite as I trust vnto a number than paynefull trauayle vnto myselfe Wherin if I had knowen at the firste as much as since I haue perfectly vnderstode neyther had I as then taken vpon me so great an enterprise nor since so rudely finished the translation of so eloquent a Poet. For when I fyrste began to employ some part of my leysure aboute it making dilligente inquirie I coulde learne of no man that euer had attempted to english the same So that perceyuing my labour to be no hindraunce to any other mans prayse and lamenting to see so Christian a writer to lie hyd and vnknowen to the ignoraunt sorte I thought I should not do amisse if al that in me lay I bestowed in the albeit simple and slender yet faythfull and true translation of so vertuous a worke But since I haue certaynely vnderstoode that when I firste began to fall in hand wythall three bookes thereof were both eloquentely and excellently englished by Master Smith clark vnto the moste honorable of the Queenes Maiesties counsell Whose doings as in other matters I haue wyth admiration behelde so in thys I am well assured I should with an amased minde haue sene I woulde that eyther I had latelier begonne it or else that he had fallen in hand sooner with it wherby my grosse homely style might haue bene no hindrance to the fruites of so pure a penne But since it was my fortune so blindely to venture vpon it I truste my trauayle shall neuer the more be enuied I could not when I had long debated y e matter with my selfe finde out a Poet more meete for the teaching of a Christian life an estate in these oure dayes most miserably decayed than this no lesse learned than famous ItalioÌ„ Marcellus Pallingenius a man of such excellent learning and Godly life that neither y e vnquietnesse of his time Italie in those dayes raging wyth most cruell bloudy warres ne yet the furious tyranny of the Antichristian Prelate vnder whose ambicious and Tirannicall gouernaunce he continually liued coulde once amase the Muse or hinder the zealous and vertuous spirit of so Christian a Souldiour I haue many times much mused wyth my selfe howe liuing in so daungerous a place he durst take vpon him so boldely to controll the corrupte and vnchristian liues of the whole Colledge of contemptuous Cardinalles the vngracious ouerseeings of bloudthyrsty Bishops the Panchplying practises of pelting Priours the manifold madnesse of mischeuous Monkes wyth the filthy fraternitie of flattering Friers Which surely he durst neuer haue done but onely that he was heartened wyth a happy and heauenly spirite Which notable audacitie of his was wonderfully reuenged by the malicious hands of such as felt themselues fretted with his spiritual corsey For when they had not power to execute their tyrannie vpon his innocent body in time of his life their mischieuous malice was no whit ashamed to consume with fyre the blamelesse bones of so vertuous a man yea and that a great while after his death Besides the reprouing of the leud liues of the Clergie he boldly inueyed agaynst the gracelesse gouernance of proud pompous Princes y e licencious liuing of the riottous nobilitie the couetous catchings of greedy Lawyers the vngodly gaynes of foolish Physitians and the corrupted consciences of deceytfâ—â— Artificers affirming playnly that if they did not better beautify their christian names with a more christiaÌ„ life of so many thousands as haue in vaine receued that most holy sacrament of sacred Baptisme there should scarce three aspire vnto the enheritaunce of Heauenly ioyes What doth your honor suppose this man would haue written Unto how great a volume doe you thinke his works would haue amouÌ„ted if so that GOD had appoynted him to florish at this preseÌ„t time in England wheras pitifully raigneth such moÌ„strous horrible pride such cancred and spiteful malice such false fayned freÌ„dships such lack of loue and charity such professing of God in words denying him in works as doubtlesse is not to be fouÌ„d among the faythlesse Turks miscreant SarazeÌ„s or supersticious Jewes Better were it in my fansy not at al to profes his name thaÌ„ thus with diuelish life to make it be euill spoken of amongst the heathen The Prophet Esay 52. saith Vae vobis propter quos nomeÌ„ meum malè audit apud gentes Vae qui consurgitis c. Esay 5. It is not our christendome assuredly that liuing so vnlike Christians shall bring vs to Heauen as S. Chrisostome in these wordes doth wytnesse Sin vero ne tibi quidem ipse luce as ne propriam putredinem foetoremque detergas quibus te indicijs ego fidelem In Cap. 1. Mat. Ho 4 potero agnoscere an quia sacrati aquas fontis ingressus es at hoc ipsuÌ„ fit tibi grauioris viatticuÌ„ supplicij I would therfore wish that we should not to much presume of the securitie obtayned by a Christian name but that we should wyth al our endeuour apply our selues to shew such fruits as duetie requireth in the followers of Christe Whereby we shoulde not onely preuayle agaynst our enimies and stoppe the mouthes of our slaunderous aduersaries but also enioy a blessed and happy tranquility in this worlde and be assured to obtayne the promised pleasures in the worlde to come For the teachinge whereof I know no man that hath so much trauayled and perfectly profyted as hath this Poet which I here present vnto your honor about whom although I haue lately ken some paynes not enioying all the while so quiet a minde as had bene nedefull for such a labour nor hauing the familiar conference of any studious frends whereby in some doubtes I might better haue bene resolued I am well assured I shall receyue for reward the reprechfull reports of a number of infamous tongs as by the publishing of my first attempts I haue bene sufficiently taught What remedie If this my trauayle shall finde fauoure at the handes of youre honoure and others of perfectnesse in iudgement I doe little esteeme the fonde surmisings of the scornefull company nor the rashe reporte of so fonde a fellowship aduising them rather to proue the lyke laboure than hawetyly to reproue any well meaning minde I haue longer here continued my Barbarous style than reason doth allowe wherefore ceassing for auoyding of tediousnesse wyth so vnperfecte an ende I moste humbly beseechs your honoure to take in
good parte this so simple and slender a gyfte whiche althoughe it hath escaped at the firste impression with a number of faultes I truste hereafter shall perfectelye be purged God long preserue your honour in prosperous estate Your Honours humble and faythfull seruaunt Barnabae Googe ¶ To the vertuous and frendely Reader WHat pleasure and profite the dilligent reading of vertuous Poets doth minister to the Godly and Christian minde so euidently and playnely hath alwayes appeared that I neede not to bestowe any time about the declaring hereof Neither was the statety style of Heroicall verse only had in price and estimation with the learned Greekes and â—lâ—quent Romains wyth whome Poets were alwayes estemed and carefully prouided for but also it seemeth there was no little accoumpte made of the pleasant agreement of â—uâ—â—ly measured wordes among those sacred Prophetes that direâ—ted the whole course and trade of their life to the prayâ—ng and pleasing of the almighty Lorde For as S. Hierome testiâ—eth the deuine and notable Prophecies of Esay the Lamentation of Jeremie the Songs Ballades of Salomen the Psalter of Dauid and the boke of Hiob were written by y e first auctours in perfect and pleasaunt Hexameter verses So that the deuine and canonicall volumes were garnished and set forth with the sweete according tunes heauenly soundes of pleasaunt metre Yet wyll not the gracelesse company of our pernicious Hipocrites allow that the Psalmes of Dauid a moste comfortable booke should be translated into Englishe metre And why Marry saye they bycause they were only receiued to be chauÌ„ted in the Church and not to be song in euery Coblers shop O monstrous malicious infidels doe you so much disclose your cancred stomacks towardes the deuine Maiestie that you ab horre to heare his glory and prayse sounding in y e mouth of a poore Christian artificer May none of your sacred secretes passe any farther than your solemne sinagogs What say you to Chrisostome who exhorted his audience in this sorte Dicat vir aliqua eorum quae nunc hic sunt Homy 2. in 1. Cap. Gen. dicta audiat auteÌ„ Mulier discant Pueri discant Familiares fiatque Domus Ecclesia vt â—ffugetur Diabolus in fugam vertatur malus ille Daemon inimicus salutis nostrae Let the goodman saith he tell to his familie some of these matters whereof I haue here entreated Let the wife giue care let the children learne let the residewe be instructed and let the house be made a Church that the Diuell may be put to flight that the wicked spirite and enimie of our saluation may be chased away If you had lyued in these dayes Mayster Doctor for your so saying you should haue bene counted an Heritike as a good Scholler alledging of late dayes to Sir John lacklattin of the countrey the auctority of sainâ—t Paule wilt thou haue it sayth the Parson S. Paule was an Heretike and so art thou I assure you y t Diuell hath a fayth and so haue you To retourne to thee louing and frendly reader Seing that wyth these auncient fathers and holy Prophetes this kinde of wryting in verse was so highly esteemed that the Godly instructions of the Scripture and the comfortable prophecies of our mercifull redeemer were in this sorte of wryting vttered yea since there was suche a grace giuen vnto it that the Holy Ghoste did therein prophecy of Christe by the mouthes of sinfull Pagans as it appeareth by the prophecy of Uirgill Vltima Cumaei iam venit carminis aetas Magnus ab integro seclorum nascitur ordo Iam redit Virgo redeunt Saturnia regnae Eglog 4. Iam noua progenies caelo demittitur alto Since this I saye appeareth be not so straight of iudgement as I know a number to be that can not abyde to reade anyething written in Englishe verse which nowe is so plenteously enriched wyth a numbre of eloquent writers that in my fansy it is lyttle inferiour to the pleasaunt verses of the auncient Romaines For since the time of our excellente countreyman sir Geffray Chaucer who liueth in like estimation with vs as did olde Ennius wyth the Latines There hath flourished in England so fine and filed phrases and so good pleasant Poets as may counterâ—ayle the doings of Virgill Ouid Horace Iuuenall Martiall Lucan Perseus Tibullus Catullus Seneca and Propertius Amongst whome as most inferiour to them all I haue for thy coÌ„moditie brought into English verse this vertuous Poet Palingenâ— And though I haue not so eloqueÌ„tly Englished it as a nuÌ„ber that may better thaÌ„ I would haue done as the worthynesse of the autour seemes to require yet haue I faythfully truly translated it giuing in some places verse for verse word for worde in other places where I haue not precisely obserued so strickâ—e an order yet haue I no whit swarued from the perfect minde of the auâ—oure to the entente that with these sundry kinds of translations I might please euery head And if it so happen to fall out that I satisfy not thine expectation yet accept good Reader my good wyll therein which onely meaneth to please and profite thee For which I accoumpt my trauayles recoÌ„penced if so be they shall be thankfully receyued of thee And for the other sorte I saye vnto them wyth Martiall Qui ducis vultus non legis ista libenter Omnibus inuidias liuide neâ—o tiâ—i Fare thou vvell most heartyly in Christ Faultes escaped in the Auctors absence Letter Leafe Syde Lyne Faultes Corrected U 7 2 5 when God When that U 7 2 16 and left at last U 7 2 20 nygher Myser CC 3 2 24 their they CC 4 2 17 not no CC 6 2 24  leue out but with stroke of Tortoys lost his life CC 8 2 15 with mighty fall c.  CC 8 2 25 Poets Prophets FF 7 2 14 doubtfull doleful GG 2 2 11 beastes hoastes HH 5 1 12 Belbowes bellowes his right KK 5 1 18 hys horne horne ⧠The fyrst Booke of Pallingen entituled Aries MY minde with fury fierce in flamd of late I know not how Doth burne Parnasus hylles to see adournd wyth Laurell bow The Camps so cleare of Castaly where Muses sweete do sing The towne Cyrrha doth me delight and trees that euer spring What darknesse oh shall I now flie to me appeareth playne The blissefull beames of Eous bright the day returnes agayne O darknesse fade thy way from hence hyde thou thy selfe in hell The loue of Muse and hie Iehoue doth both within me dwell And vertue doth not labour feare the way though hard it be O Phebus father Poets helpe disclose the doubtes to me With Aganippes holsome fode replenish thou my dayes Thy temple eke to come vnto do thou direct my wayes Defend me from the common sorte that seeke me to disprayse Not worse vnlikde now shall I be if that thou wylt me blesse That I thy priest vnknowne and new my selfe to labour
there hath rule all fixed continually As voide of place and safe from harme they all doe seeme to be There are the causes of eache thing and springes of all we see The worlde that senses may perceiue from thys same worlde doth spring And semeth here a figure sure and shaddowe of that thing All things more perfect there and all things whole appere We haue but portions of the same which are encreased here By natures fault and great deffect so heartes a number be For vertue one aboue creates the hearts that here we see By hir the subtill Foxe is framde by hir the Lyons liue And so of all the other beastes that thys our worlde doth giue Which seeme in number diuers sortes but all are one in kinde That from these powers at first to come are euery one assinde None otherwyse than Carpenters in Cities great of name Eche one applying well hys worke doe diuers matters frame Wherfore this world doth stād of parts the other doth consyst Of al and liuing by themselues of distance as they list But some haue thought y t euery Starre a worlde we well may cal The earth they count a darkned starre wheras the least of all The God doth raine that vnderneath the clowdes hath placed his chaire That fosters all the creatures here in seas in earth and ayre A Lorde of shadowes and the guide of shapes that liuely bee To whom is delt the charge of things and rule of all to see Which for bicause they doe not last but passe with tyme away Doe scarse deserue the name of ought but shadowes that decay The same is Pluto as I iudge of whome the Poets olde Do often syng and say that he the King dome black doth holde For vnderneath the cloudes is night aboue are al things cleare Where light doth last for euermore and brightnesse styll appeare To him as to the worst of all thalmighty Lord dyd giue The vtleft raigne the rest more good in better starres to liue But yet is no man sure of this for who doth know so wel Gods mysteries who hath bene there and turnde agayne to tell No state of man is such our minde doth faynt in things so hie The Owle cannot beholde the Sunne wyth pure and perfect eye Eche one presuming of his wyt inuenteth matters newe But Poets specially to whome most confidence is dewe For they may by autority of any matters write Wyth Bacchus rage they moued be and wyth Apolloes sprite Though nothing is that doth forbyd the mad man truth to say Sibylla vsed to tell the trouth in madnesse as she lay Let this suffise my promisse kept to proue that numbers be Of creatures farre excelling vs which no mans eyes can see Yet do they liue and reason vse and as some wyse men say Such are our soules departed once that neuer shal decay So Plato so Pythagoras and so Plotinus thought And so haue many Poets erst in pleasaunt verses wrought Therefore it semeth labour worth a thing most mete to tel Of this for to entreat at large for what doth more excel Than throughly man to know himselfe for children vnderstand Where of the Body doth consyst euen earth of flyme and sand But harde it is so plaine to knowe the nature of the minde Wherfore presuming on my Muse with all the force I finde Bestowing all my wits thereon I will attempt to knowe The perfect nature of the same and plaine in verses shewe That done forsaking Libra soone Scorpius thy crooked sygne I entre wyll and destenie thy fatall force define If destiny doe not depriue our Port of hys wyll And for bycause in doubtfull things to bring the greater styll The methode and the order best is plainely to begin With such as are assured most so wyll I doe herein For if the fyrst beginnings here shall seeme obscure in syght The sequele shall vncertaine seeme and in the worser plight If slender the foundation be in small tyme and space We shall beholde the buildings fayle that we thereon doe place The effects more plaine and manifest than causes seeme to be At them therfore we wyll begin and all things open see With mouing nowe for euery thing that lyfe remayneth in Doth moue alone first sygne of lyfe therfore we will begin For of it selfe the bodyes restes and members rottes away The cause perhaps that moues is heate or bloud that beares the sway But things aliue are often styll when as they list to rest Though heate bloud in them abound therfore appereth best That wyll is cause of mouing here yet sometimes they desyre To moue and cannot stirre therefore doth mouing both require The one commaunds the other works for wyll can nothing doe If power doe lack But how commes it that men moue to and froe Bicause minde teaching wil seeth good and mouing straight doth turne To that it sees as Fyrre is drawn by that which makes it burne Lyke as the yron from his place the Lodestone vpwarde drawes And as the Aumber lyfteth vp the lyttle slender strawes The worlde in such a wondrous sorte the Almighty Lorde did frame That many things doe well agree as ioyned in the same And many things doe disagree and kepe continuall fight Wherby some men haue surely thought that strife and frendeship might Be iustly calde beginnings chiefe by which are all things wrought Thus good first moued by which y e mind to motion quickly brought Doth moue the partes pricketh forth the body here and there But yet ws think suffiseth not one good to all things here Nor one desyre to all alyke so thys some that estemes And euery one retaines hys ioy as best to nature seemes The Childe we see desyres the thyngs that aged men forsake For as the bodyes seeme to be so minde and wyll doe take Wherfore we sometime couet thys and sometime long for that And that which late we did esteme we now doe seeme to hate Bicause our chaunging body is disposed diuerslye And drawes the nature of the minde the way that it doth wrye Hereof comes thyrst and hunger sharp and lust to Ladyes lappes The body many things doe change as age or tyme or happes As also meate and drinke sometymes and ayre doth chaunge it quite And Starres doth alteration make as learned men doe write Wherfore nothing in syght alone but state of body here Doth cause vs diuers thyngs to wyll and moues it doth appere But some by reason rather ledde doe walke as she doth shew And onely are by vertue drawne but such are very fewe For fleshly fonde affections here the minde doe ouer runne None otherwyse than mistes doe darke the cleare and shining Sunne Lo this the cause why body moues the mouing force of minde Whom moued wil doth stil commaund obayes as is assinde And in the partes that quyet are if nothing them doe let Is poured out and causeth them now here now there to iet But why should labour weary them whereof
Which were to great absurditie for he doth all things spye That eche thing makes nor ought from him can hyd in secret lye Though some doe say that if so be that heauenly minde shoulde knowe The base estate of mortall kinde it should lesse worthy growe But they are much deceiued for none is ill bycause that hee Doth ill things know nor vile y t knowes the things that vilest bee Nor any man is changed white that white can well define Nor worser is the Sunne as oft as it on knaues doth shine Nor if with beames it hap to blase in place be durtyed much It foule doth seeme nor light defylde that filthy things doth touche So if the minde perceiue the thing that vylest may be thought It is not worse to knowe ill than good but ill to doe is naught Thus God of nothing ignorant all things that are doth knowe What hath bene done in alder tymes and what shall after growe Which if they be not surely â—ixt confesse we must them needes Not to be knowne for knowledge styll of things assurde proceedes The Prophetes also when they speake of things that happen shall The certaine dayes do playnly appoint and proper names of all Which would not be but that al thyngs are fyxed certaine so That are to come or present be or passed long ago Yet many things doe seeme by chaunce amongst vs for to lyght As when a tyle by tempest torne from house a man doth smyte Or when a man in deluing deepe doth store of treasure finde Such things by chauÌ„ce to hap doth synk in common peoples minde But thys my minde doth not alowe for though vnlooked for Such things doe hap shall we therein admit a chaunce therfore Our knowledge nor our ignorance to alter things hath might For fyre hath not his flaming heate nor Snow therfore is whyte Nor SuÌ„ne doth yeld hys glistering beames bicause we knowe the thing For of the matters that consyst our knowledge here doth spring Therfore we knowe it thus to be bicause the thing is so And minde may often seeme to erre the thing can not so do Now of the thing I speake and aske if chaunce therein doe lye For whether we doe knowe thereof or no regarde not I. The chaunce therefore in vs doth lye not in the things that be Such things we thinke to fall by chauÌ„câ— wherof no cause we see As knowne alone vnto the Gods all things are certaine tho For with one sort of mouing rounde the heauens alwayes go Lyke seede like fruite and elaments in auncient order rayne And keepe their kinde wonted course the yeare doth styll retaine For after spring the somer hoat himselfe hath strayghtwayes placde And after him with Apples thyck and Grapes doth haruest hast Next after that his nipping frosres the wynter bringeth in And wyth his Isye northern blastes all things to droupe begin No herbe doth euer change hys force all creatures doe retaine Their olde accustomed shape and in theyr wonted guise remaine Ne must we thinke that monsters here of chaunce or errors growe When cause of them assertaynde is ill tydings to foreshowe And therof fyrst did take theyr name wherfore their wonders hyght Which nature willingly doth make who often doth delight To brede some â—ond ylfauoâ—red things As paynter oft doth ioy Though he haue cunning great besyde to paint some testing toy As pycture crooked or saddelbackd wyth nose of largest syse And blabber lypt a worthy syght and fit for clownishe eyes Synce all things thus in order good and measure lyke doe fall Unstable chaunce within the world shall beare no swynge at all whom chiefest prouidence of God and wysedome great doth draw That he may easely vnderstande with what a wondrous lawe The worlde with euerlasting course is framed here and gracde How euery creature hath his lymmes and members aptly placde well seruing to their vses all agreing fayre the same How God or nature neuer thyng in vaine did make or frame who ponders this shal think not chance but reason beares the sway And al things done as God commauÌ„ds wyll deeme and playnely say But whether fortune guideth all as many doe persuade A thing both meete and worthy is in knowledge to be had Let vs bende all our wyts to thys but fyrst we must well knowe What kinde of thing thys fortune is and whence hir grace doth growe In auncient tyme they worshipt hir and Goddesse hir did call And thought she bare no little sway in Heauen and earth and all And alters vnto hir they built and offred sacrifyce But I thinke hir not God to be nor any sainct in skyes Is eyther male or female sure in kinde they not delight No byrth they haue nor dying day as some of olde doe wryte Who thinke the Gods lyke vs to be O fonde and foolishe mindes O heads for to be healed with iuice of greatest purging kindes Judge you the Gods of our estate that wyth theyr Ladies fayre Embracing many times they lye theyr kinde for to repayre Let rather vs therfore account a certaine God to be Whose nature differs farre from Gods a Ghost of lowe degre And therfore guides the kingdomes vile of earth and waters rounde Wheras so many haynous factes such griefes and plagues are founde Where as no kinde of thing is safe where no estate is free where craftes and wyles doe swarme so thick where such deceiuings be The Prince of all the worlde thys God is named of Christ and Paule Whom Pluto and syr Dites black the Poets vse to call who fauours fooles and wicked men and vertuous men molest This house thys seate this courte doth seme for such a tyrant best whom commonly we fortune call for eche ill thing doth raine Beneath the Mone as darksome night and stormes and tempest mayne Wyth colde and heate and teasty age dame neede of beggars hall And labour griefe and wretchednesse and death that endeth all Aboue the Mone continual light wyth peace and ioy remayne No tyme nor error death nor age nor any thing is vayne O blest and double blest agayne that in so pleasaunt place So fayre so beautifull to liue of God obtayneth grace Some thinke the world to be fulfylde wyth other Gods besyde Whereof the most do leade their lyfe in ayry places wyde whom Greekes cal sprytes more to theÌ„ the chiefest rule they giue Of creatures al that on the earth or on the sea do liue Affirming that both good and euyl as most their mindes doth please They send as honours ioyes wealth and contraries to these wherefore it very needeful is to please them often tymes which may be done by seruing them by charmes or by diuines As many thinke and like wyse say that they will straight appere To vs if they be ryghtly calde and helpe vs praying here And that no better thing can be here in this life to man Than for to haue their company and see them now and than which I
beleue but fewe obtayne but iust men that despise The fond and fading wanton ioies and foode of fleshly eyes That quietly do liue and cares do banish farre away And heauenly things alone do minde and neuer seeke to stray From that which right and vertuous is Although that some do say Ill sprites amongst these good there be constrayned to obay To naughty men by Coniuring whereby much ill is done I can not stay nor now is place the signe where as the sunne Doth yelde his yearly compast course where scaled brethren shine Shall tell the rest where as I wyll the state of Gods define If God himselfe doe me permit who doth my verses gene Let vs therefore passe ouer this I scarely can beleue That any God can euyl be Wysdome byds neuer synne But contrary by folly doth fault stray and crime come in No man is euil wyllingly as farre as I beleaue For euery wyl doth couet good if iudgement not deceaue But Diuel wysdome hath if that this name to him agree But whether Fortune gouerne al or howsoeuer it be Or Diuels guide the state of men but yet wythout destenie Doth nothing passe But al things rulde by minde of God on hie Without whose power nothing is done but of this saying here A doubt doth ryse and knot so hard and sure doth eke appere Such one as Hercules or else the Macedonian King Would scarce vndoe which douht stay to many mindes doth bring If destenie commaundeth al if al things so must moue Not wyl to vs remaineth free nor to the Goddes aboue Free wyll is taken cleane away and vertue no rewarde Nor vice doth punnishment deserne which is not to be heard No place is now of Gods to speake but of such things as be In our estate is subiect here which eyes of men may see I say therefore that in the things that vnder fortune be No kinde of thing can here be founde exempt from destenie As riches pleasures ioyful minde wyth rule and honours hyâ— Come from aboue not wyl of ours is that we get them by For who would 〈◊〉 such things enioy but wyll auayles not thoe It rather hurts if destenies agaynst a man do go How many striue to ryse aloft agaynst their destenie But faster more and more they fal and downe they deeper lye On thother syde they vnto whome the stars more gracious be Unlooked for doe often liue in chiefe prosperity Whose nettes while they themselues do sleepe Rhamnusia ful doth fyll Wyth fish and bringeth vnto them al things that they can wyll Loe some of great and noble house we see to come to light And to 〈◊〉 from childehode fyrst all things wyth ioyful spright And to attayne to honour hye though they vnworthy be And bliâ—ded oft their eyes to rule that scarcely wel can see And lyue in al licenciousnesse And some of kinred base For to be borne wyth griefe and teares themselues for to deface wyth labour long and vayne to toyle and yet cannot expel The pricke of hunger that they feele but styl in beggrye dwel who wyl denye these ylies to come through cruell destnies might A number fayre and actiue are and of couragious sprite And many fowle and syckly styl of courage faynt we see whereof coÌ„mes thys of our desertes or our infirmity Or shal we say our wyl doth al By Fates assuredly Eche thing doth chaunce to mortal men the rule hath Desrenie Of our affaires and our estate the houre and kinde of death It only guides a halter him him sword depriues of breath He drownde in floudes he kilde w t colde him strangleth fyry smoke Some other hunger doth destroy and some doth surfets choke By griefe or sycknesse many dye some chaunce away doth send And many age bereues of life a certayne day of ende To al men is and euery age nor longer can we go Than threede of life permits that ruÌ„nes the spiteful spyndle fro So kylde a rysh the prayser of A chilles lusty lore So Aeschilus while as he walkde abrode on Sicill shore Wyth mighty fall of house deceassed Anacreon so did kill A reasons seede Alas what wayes what meanes hath death to spyl When fardest of thou thinkest him then nerest standeth he Nothing than death more certayne can nor more vncertayne be Yet some that know the force of starrâ—s and secrets of the skye Soothsaying Poâ—ts that can tel how things to come do lye I knowe not with what sprite inspired are often wont to tell The kinde and day of death to come for of the things aswell To come is nature sure as of the present things and past Sure in the fyrst and seconde cause that from the fyrst to th' last With largest lynke extended are But goodes or illes of minde Doe they proceede from desteny or from the fatall kinde Learning and wit seeme thence to flow may any learning get Except he wysedome doe obtaine and nature force permit If fortune let or sycknesse staye An Dratour some one An other a Philosopher some alwayes looke vpon The sacred secretes of the Gods and secke the starry skye And some there are y t drink the streames in wretched pouertye That from Castalian well doe flowe whom pleaseth pleasant fame As nerest kinne to hunger sharpe from whence comes all these same From desteny the chiefe of all eche Arte from hence doth flowe Thence offices deriued all that mortall men doe knowe In sundry seruants nature ioyes that diuers things thence may Procede to deck the world and let ts not all to passe one way But them commauÌ„deth seuerall course and seuerall paines to take With sundry sort of workes the world more beautyfull to make But whether our conditions here are delt by desteny Or whether of our wyll they spring it semeth good to trye Nor labour small it doth appere the trouth herem to finde Of our free wyll what portion doth remaine within our minde In wretched case we lyue if vs byreft is libertye If that the chiefe and greatest force of fatall desteny Constraine vs ill to be and that by force we in be brought To wickednesse and if to striue therwith auaileth nought Wherfore it semeth labour worth our wittes to thys to bende And for to syft the trouth as much as God shall knowledge sende Fyrst it behoueth vs to tell what thys free wyll should be An ample power receiued of God and largest liberty Deliuered man that as he lyst the right or wayes vniust He folowe should not vertue left that therby sinne he must But contrary the vices thunde to applye the vertuous wayes For euill deedes doe harme the soule and good deserueth prayse Besydes it further must be sought if thys free will doth raine In all a lyke or if it doth in euery time remaine No sure it semeth not to be in Children nor in such As vehement anguishe of the minde or body greueth much Or they whose eyes the heauy sleepes haue shut and closed sure For slepe
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
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
the rauening hauke to keepe And madde in feeding dogges horse hys liuing doth decaye Or he that seekes for hye estate that quickly fades awaye An Owle that in the roufe doth fit a mate of Fortunes playe Or is it hee that vpon God hath heart and fansie set And which he worships as a God by all meanes seekes to get Beleue mee they that earthly things doe couet to obtaine The things that in the heauens are regarde not for to gaine No man can well two maisters serue for who so ioyes in white It followe must that he detestes the black and grisley sight Who so delightes in light of Sunne him darknesse heauie makes And he that sweetenesse loues in bitter things no pleasure takes Who so approcheth to the earth must needes the heauens flye And where as loue of earth remaines no man can loue the skye But fewe alas and all to fewe these earthly things despise And able are with wings of minde to mount vnto the skyes Wherfore bicause it is so harde to this doe I agree But great rewardes makes greatest paynes both easie and light to be what greater thing can be obtaynde than here with Gods to walke And to beholde them with our eyes and thus with them to talke This is chiefest Jewell sure for which we ought to beare Eache kinde of trauaile toile and griefe with good and pleasant cheare The Cat would gladly milke receiue but feete she wyll not wet The way to vertue sure is harde yet shall th'vnslouthfull get Both vertue and honour vertues price the souldiour good obâ—aynes A due rewarde whereas no prayse the slouthfull cowarde gaynes Therefore we must apply our selues with all our force and might That these so glorious states aboue in vs may haue delight Then euery thing we shal be sure here prosperously to haue Both whilst we liue vpon the earth and when we are layde in graue why doe we thus estéeme the earth that sone we shall forsake O blinded fooles of fading ioyes we more account doe make Than of the goods that alwayes lastes what madnesse is this same Nowe last remaynes that prayers oâ—â— with humble minde he frame That séekes the sight of Gods to haue which once for to require Suffiseth not but oftentimes we must and much desire Tyll at the length in space of time we get the victorie And as our minde desireth most obtayne the Gods to see One stroke doth not cut downe y e Oke of olde and auncient yeares Nor yet the stone by falling of one drop of water weares Nor Rome was builded in a day eche creature grayne and tree In time spring vp and in great space of yeares encreased bee And thinkst thou such a woÌ„drons thing and of estate so hie Can with so little paynes be done and wrought immediatly So easly can we nâ—t the sight of earthly Kings obtayne Nor come to tell our tales to them and heare them talke agayne Thinkst thou that Gods 〈◊〉 better are than Kings that here we see Wherfore then should they come except they oft desired bee Except we them as we doe Lordes in humble sort desire Wherfore we must on euery daye them oftentimes require That they vouchsafe themselues sometime to shewe to vs in sight And with their talke the secrete things to bring abrode to lyght This if we doe beleue mee well at length they will appere And with their presence will vs blesse in wretched carcasse here And shortly bring vs to the skyes an ende of all our strife whereas the perfectest pleasure is and eke the happyest lyfe Then shall we passe and come before the maker great of skyes And haue the Prince of all the worlde in viewe of these our eyes Than which no better state can be nor more renouned thing who is of goodnesse and bewtye all the fountaine hedde and spring But many think it can not be that vnto any here On earth the sacred sprites aboue should talke or thus appere And think that I but trifles tell to these I pardone gyue For nature hath not delt lyke wyt to all that here doe liue Some still doe ponder in their minde the Heauenly ioyes aboue And alwayes think of hauty things some meane things only loue And haue no pleasure much to rayse themselues from earthly place And thousandes on the grounde doe lye nor thence wyll ryse an ase But earthly ioy doe only minde sure in none other wise Than certayne byrdes that in the ayre aloâ—t most hylye flye Where many keepe the midst thereof and mount not very hye The reast frequent the lowest partes and nere the earth doe flye Wherfore it is no wonder great if what I here declare The common people not beleue whose mindes most brutishe are Yet true it is that I haue tolde for how should any one Liue on the mountaines colde dwell in wildernesse alone And willing leade so harde a lyfe sure perishe should he staight Except some God him comforting should ease him of this waight Beleue me he that liues alone auoiding companye Is eyther mad or more than man doth talke with Gods on hye In this sort liued the Prophets olde as it apperes by fame And many after Christ whom men did holy Fathers name And in this present age of ours full many may we finde That leade their life speÌ„d their yeares in this same sort and kinde These men when they do wisely speake and reason fayre and well And wonders great doe bring to passe and things to come foretell Wilt thou esteeme as mad or fonde or to be wayed lyght Or rather wilt thou iudge they be inspirde with holy sprite Bestdes the holy Church affyrmes that earst haue many béene That sacred shapes of blessed ghostes full oftentimes haue seene Why should not I beleue sith that the Church doth tell it mee Therfore it is no fable fonde but doth wyth truth agree That men may come to speake w t God and them in presence see Which I suppose the chiefest good and finall ende to be Of all good things that vnto maâ— may any wayes aryse While as of thys hys present lyfe the troublous seas he tryes And when escaped from mortall chaine the soule hath passage straight Conueying with hir selfe these three that alwayes on hir wayte The minde the sense and mouing force vnto the heauens hye Shall ioyfull go and there remaine in blisse perpetuallye And dwelling there with Gods a God shall it created be O Heauen great O house of Gods of fayrest dignitie How pure arte thou how wonderfull with Maiestie deuine How garnishte rounde about w t starres dost thou most brightly shine Thou palayce well replenished with euery sweete delight For if the earth habounds with things so fayre and good to sight The earth a place for man and beastes the vylest part of all what shold we think of thee wher dwels the Gods celestiall The Lordes and happy kings of all O would to God that when My dolefull threeds the Systers three had fully finisht then It thyther were my hap to come my Carcasse cast in graue And euermore such wondrous ioyes before my eyes to haue And now by grace of God I haue of Zodtake finisht here Twelue starry sâ—gnes which nuÌ„ber doth in these my bookes appere A labour great with study long and tedious trauaile pende Yet finisht now and closed vp with last and finall ende What thanks shall I thee gyue O Lord and Prince of euery lande That hast me willde so fayre and great attemptê to take in hande And giuen me mind and might therto the prayse is onely thine If any fayre or goodly thing in these my bookes doth shine For euery fayre and goodly thing from thee doth first descend Thou wert the fyrst beginning of this worke and finall ende My minde and hand were gouernde by thy Maiestie deuine To thee I onely giue the thanks the honour all is thine But yet if any due desert on these my paynes attende I thee beseeche O Lorde that when my lyfe is at an ende This life that night by night I spend in dreames of vanitie And when the day retornes still vext with griefe and myserie Thou wylt vouchsafe in wyping out my sinnes to pardone mée Whatsoeuer I haue done alasse with mist of minde opprest And suffer thys my soule with thée in Heauens hye to rest And thou my booke in this meane while thorow â–ª andry cities run Assured vnder cankred clawes of enuie great to come For Carpers and Correctors thou shalt finde in euery place Whose mouthes with téeth enuenomed shall tearing thée deface Nor some shall surelywatin ng be which when they nothing can Doe worthy prayse wyll yet reioyce to rayle at euery man And finding fault at others works will purchase foolyshe fame Shunne y u such enuiâ—us whelps as these and mouthes that thus defame And searche for good and learned men which though but fewe they bée Yet happy mayst thou dwell with few for fewe of best degrée Hath God created here on earth to such go reuerently And all that we haue done laye thou before the vertuous eye which if they lyke it doth suffise and what the rest doth saye Regarde not thou but clownishe words with laughter passe awaye The iudgement of the common sorte is grosse and eke their minde Is wondrous weake and foolishe things delights the foolishe kinde All men the meate doe most desire that them doth best delight Eache pleasure is not acceptable to euery kinde of sprite But good and learned men the things of good and godly sense Giue eare vnto and reade and marke the same with diligence This is the foode that them doth féede and comfort of their minde And if foreshâ—wing doe not lye vnto this vertuous kinde Thou shalt be heartyly welcomed and with a smiling looke Of them thou shalt perused bée Go therfore blessed booke Abyde along and happy tyme and when the ghastly graue Encompast rounde about with earth my carcasse colde shall haue Through euery countrey thou aliue and realmes of sundry fame Go passe and séeke in euery place to blase abrode my name FINIS Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Denham for Rafe Newberye dwelling in Fleete streate