herbs commixt with sweetest flower Care was my swadling clothes as well as cloth For I was swadled and clothed in both Why do I make my selfe more then I am Why say I I am nourished with cares When euery one is clothed with the same Sith as I fare my selfe another fares No King had any other birth then I But waild his fortune with a watry eye verse 6 Say what is mirth an entrance vnto woe Say what is woe an entrance vnto mirth That which begins with ioy doth not end so These go by chaunge because a changing birth Our birth is as our death both barren bare Our entrance waile our going out with care Naked we came into the world as naked Wee had nor wealth nor riches to possesse Now differ we which difference riches maked Yet in the end we naked nerethelesse As our beginning is so is our end Naked and poore which needs no wealth to spend verse 7 Thus weighing in the ballance of my minde My state all states my birth all births alike My meditated passions could not finde One freed thought which sorrow did not strike But knowing euery ill is curde by praier My minde besought the Lord my griefes allaier Wherefore I prayde my praier tooke effect And my effect was good my good was gaine My gaine was sacred wisedomes bright aspect And her aspect in my respect did raigne Wisedome that heau'nly spirit of content Was vnto me from heau'n by praier sent verse 8 A present far more worthy then a crowne Because the crowne of an eternall rest A present far more worthie then a throne Because the throne of heau'n which makes vs blest The crowne of blisse the throne of God is shee Compared vnto heau'n not earth to thee Her foot-stoole is thy face her face thy shame Thy shame her liuing praise her praise thy scorne Thy scorne her loue her loue thy merits blame Thy blame her worth her worth thy being borne Thy selfe art drosse to her comparison Thy valour weake vnto her garison verse 9 To liken gold vnto her radiant face Were likening day to night and night to day The Kings high seat to the low subiects place And heau'ns translucent breast to earthly way For what is golde her scorne her scorne her ire Melting that drosse with nought but angers fire In her respect t is dust in her aspects Earth in respect of her t is little grauell As dust as earth as grauell she reiects The hope the gaine the sight the price the trauell Siluer because inferiour to the other Is clay which two she in one looke doth smother verse 10 Her sight I called health her selfe my beautie Health as my life and beautie as my light Each in performance of the others dutie This curing griefe this leading me aright Two soueraigne eies belonging to two places This guides the soule and this the body graces The heart sicke soule is cur'd by heart-strong health The heart-strong health is the soules brightest eye The heart-sick body heal'd by beauties wealth Two sunnie windolets of eithers skie Whose beames cannot be clouded by reproach Nor yet dismounted from so bright a coach verse 11 What dowrie could I wish more then I haue What wealth what honour more then I possesse My soules request is mine which I did craue For sole redresse in soule I haue redresse The bodyly expences which I spend Is lent by her which my delight doth lend Then I may call her author of my good Sith good and goods are portions for my loue I loue her well who would not loue his food His ioyes maintatiner which all woes remoue I richest am because I doe possesse her I strongest am in that none can oppresse her verse 12 It made me glad to thinke that I was rich More gladder for to thinke that I was strong For lowest mindes do couet highest pitch As highest braues proceed from lowest tongue Her first arriuall first did make me glad Yet ignorant at first first made me sad Ioyfull I was because I sawe her power Wofull I was because I knew her not Glad that her face was in mine eies lockt bower Sad that my senses neuer drew her plot I knew not that she was discretions mother Though I profest my selfe to be her brother verse 13 Like a rash wooer feeding on the lookes Disgesting beauty apparitions show Viewing the painted out-side of the bookes And inward workes little regardes to know So I feeding my fancies with her sight Forgot to make inquirie of her might Externall powers I knew riches I had Internall powers I scarcely had discerne Vntamedly I learned to be glad Faining I hated veritie I learnd I was not enuious learned to forsake her But I was louing learned for to take her verse 14 And had I not my treasure had bin lost My losse my perills hazard had proclaimde My perill had my lifes destruction tost My lifes destruction at my soule had aimde Great perills hazarded from one poore losse As greatest filth doth come with smallest drosse This righteous treasure whoso rightly vseth Shall be an heire in heau'ns eternitie All earthly fruites her heretage excuseth All happinesse in her felicitie The loue of God consists in her embracing The gifts of knowledge in her wisedomes placing verse 15 I speake as I am prompted by my mind My soules chiefe agent pleader of my cause I speake these things and what I speake I finde By heau'ns iudgement not mine owne applause God he is iudge I next because I haue her God he doth know I next because I craue her Should I direct and God subuert my tongue I worthy were of an vnworthy name Vnworthy of my right not of my wrong Vnworthy of my praise not of my shame But seeing God directs my tongue from missing I rather looke for clapping than for hissing verse 16 He is the prompter of my tongue and me My tongue doth vtter what his tongue applies He sets before my sight what I should see He breathes into my heart his verities He telles me what I thinke or see or heare His tongue a part my tongue a part doth beare Our wordes he knowes in telling of our hearts Our hearts he knowes in telling of our words All in his hands words wisedome workes and arts And euery power which influence affords He knowes what we will speake what we will doe And how our mindes and actions will goe verse 17 18 The wisedome which I haue is heauens gift The knowledge which I haue is Gods reward Both presents my fore-warned sences lift And of my preseruation had regard This teaches me to know this to be wise Knowledge is wits and wit is knowledge guise Now know I how the world was first created How euery motion of the aire was framed How man was made the diuells pride abated How times beginning midst and end was named now know I time times chāge times date times sho And when the seasons come and when they goe verse 19 20
I know the chaunging courses of the yeares And the diuision of all differing climes The situation of the stars and spheres The flowing tides and the flow-ebbing times I know that euery yeare hath his foure courses I know that euery course hath seuerall forces I know that nature is in euery thing Beasts furious winds rough men wicked are whose thoghts their scurge whose deeds their iugmēts sling Whose words and works their perill and their care I know that euery plant hath difference I know that euery roote hath influence verse 21 True knowledge have I got in knowing truth True wisedome purchased in wisest wit A knowledge fitting age wit fitting youth Which makes me yong though olde with gaine of it True knowledge haue I and true wisedomes store True hap true hope what wish what wold I more Known things I needs must know sith not vnknown My care is knowledge she doth heare for me All secrets know I more because not showne My wisedome secret is and her I see Knowledge hath taught me how to heare knowne causes Wisedome hath taught me secrecies applauses verse 22 23 Knowledge and wisedome knowne in wisest things Is reasons mate discretions centinell More then a trine of ioyes from vertues springs More then one vnion yet in vnion dwell One for to guide the spring sommer the other One haruests nurse the other winters mother Foure mounts and foure high mounters all foure one One holy vnion one begotten life One manifolde affection yet alone All one in peaces rest all none in strife Sure stable without care hauing all power Not hurtfull doing good as one all foure This peacefull army of foure knitted soules verse 24 Is marching vnto peaces endles warre Their weapons are discretions written roules Their quarrell loue and amitie their iarre Wisedome director is captaine and guide All other take their places side by side Wisedome deuides the conflict of her peace Into foure squadrons of foure mutuall loues Each bent to war and neuer meanes to cease Her wings of shot her disputation moues Shee warres vnseene and pacifies vnseene Shee is wars victory yet peaces Queene verse 25 Shee is the martiall trumpet of alarmes And yet the quiet rest in peaces night Shee guideth martiall troupes she honours armes Yet ioyns she fight with peace and peace with fight Shee is the breath of Gods and heauens power Yet peaces nurse in being peaces flower A flowing in of that which ebbeth out An ebbing out of that which floweth in Presumption she doth hate in being stout Humilitie though poore her fauours win Shee is the influence of heauens flow No filth doth follow her where ere shee goe verse 26 Shee is that spring which neuer hath an ebbe That siluer-coloured brooke which hath no mud That loome which weaues and neuer cuts the webbe That tree which growes and neuer leaues to bud Shee constant is vnconstancie her foe Shee doth not flow and ebbe nor come and goe Phoebus doth weepe when watrie cloudes approach Shee keeps her brightnes euerlastingly Phoebe when Phoebus shines forsakes nights coach Hir day is night and day immortally The vndefiled mirrour of renowne The image of Gods power her vertues crowne verse 27 28 Discretion knowledge wit and reasons skill All foure are places in one only grace They wisedome are obedient to her will All foure are one one in all foures place And wisedome being one she can do all Sith one hath foure all subiect to one call Her selfe remaining selfe the world renewes Renewing ages with perpetuall youth Entring into the soules which death pursues Making thē Gods friends which were frends to truth If wisedome doth not harbour in thy minde God loues thee not and that thy soule shall finde For how canst thou be lead without thy light verse 29 30 How can thy eyles soule direct her way If wanting her which guides thy steps aright Thy steps from night into a path of day More beautifull then is the eye of heau'n Guilding her selfe with her selfe-changing steau'n The stars are twinckling handmaides to the moone Both moone and stars handmaids to wisdomes sunne These shine at middest night this at mid-noone Each new begins their light when each hath done Pale-mantled night followes red mantled day Vice followes both but to her owne decay Chapter VIII verse 1 WHo is the Empresse of the worlds confine The Monarchesle of the foure cornerd earth The Princesse of the seas life without fine Commixer of delight with sorowes mirth What soueraigne is shee which euer raignes Which Queene-like gouerns al yet none cōstrains Wisedome ó flie my spirit with that word Wisedome ó lodge my spirit in that name Fly soule vnto the mansion of her lord Although thy wings be findged in her flame Tell her my blacknes doth admire her beautie I le marie her in loue serue her in dutie verse 2 If marry her God is my father God Christ is my brother Angells are my kin The earth my dowrie heauen my aboade My rule the world my life without my sin Shee is the daughter of immortall Ioue My wife in heart in thought in soule in loue Happy for euer hee that thought in hart Happy for euer he that heart in thought Happy the soule of both which beares both part Happy that loue which thoght har◠soule hath sought The name of loue is happiest for I loue her Soule heart and thoughts loues agents are to proue her verse 3 Ye parents that would haue your children rulde Here may they be instructed rulde and taught Ye children that would haue your parents schoolde Feeding their wanton thirst with follies draught See here the schoole of discipline erected See here how yong and old are both corrected Children this is the Mistris of your blisse Your schoolemistris reformer of your liues Parents you that do speake thinke do amisse Here 's she which loues and lifes direction giues She teacheth that which God knowes to be true She chuseth that which God would chuse for you verse 4 What is our birth poore naked needy cold What is our life poore as our birth hath beene What is our age forlorne in being old What is our end as our beginnings scene Our birth our life our age our end is poore what birth what life what age what end hath more Made rich it is with vanities vaine show If wanting wisedome it is follies game Or like a bended or vnbended bow Ill fortunes scoffe it is good fortunes shame If wisedome be the riches of thy minde Then can thy fortune see not seeing blinde verse 5 6 Then if good fortune doth begin thy state Ill fortune cannot end what she begins Thy fate at first will still remaine thy fate Thy conduct vnto ioyes not vnto sins If thou the bridegroome art wisedome the bride Ill fortune cannot swimme against thy tide Thou marrying her dost marry more than she Thy portion is not faculties but blisse Thou needst not teaching for she teacheth thee Nor no reformer she thy mistris
man Beginning life to make an end of woe Ending in him what in himselfe began His earths dominion through thy wisedomes flow Made for to rule according to desart And execute reuenge with vpright heart verse 4 Behold a crowne but yet a crowne of care Behold a scepter yet a sorrowes guise More than the ballance of my head can beare More than my hands can hold wherein it lies My crowne doth want supportance for to beare My scepter wanteth empire for to weare A leglesse body is my kingdomes mappe Limping in follie halting in distresse Giue me thy wisedome Lord my better happe Which may my follie cure my griefe redresse O let me not fall in obliuions caue Let wisedome be my baile for her I craue verse 5 Behold thy seruant pleading for his hire As an apprentice to thy gospels word Behold his poore estate his hot-cold fire His weake-strong limmes his mery woes record Borne of a woman woman-like in woe They weake they feeble are and I am so My time of life is as an houre of day T is as a day of months a month of yeeres It neuer comes againe but fades away As one mornes sunne about the hemispheres Little my memory lesser my time But least of all my vnderstandings prime verse 6 Say that my memory should neuer die Say that my time should neuer loose a glide Say that my selfe had earthly Maiestie Seated in all the glory of my pride Yet if discretion did not rule my minde My raigne would be like fortunes follie-blinde My memory a pathway to my shame My time the looking-glasse of my disgrace My selfe resemblance of my scorned name My pride the puffed shadow of my face Thus should I be remembred not regarded Thus should my labours end but not rewarded verse 7 What were it to be shadow of a king A vanitie to weare a shadow'd crowne A vanitie to loue an outward thing A vanitie vaine shadowes of renowne This King is king of shades because a shade A king in shew though not in action made His shape haue I his cognisance I weare A smoaky vapour hemd with vanitie Himselfe I am his kingdomes crowne I beare Vnlesse that wisedome change my liuerie A king I am God hath inflamed me And lesser than I am I can not be verse 8 When I commaund the people do obay Submissiue subiects to my votiue wil A prince I am and do what princes may Decreâ— commaund rule iudge performe fulfill Yet I my selfe am subiect vnto God As are all others to my iudgements rod. As doe my subiect honour my command So I at his commaund a subiect am I build a temple on mount Sions sand Erect an altar in thy citties name Resemblances these are where thou doost dwell Made when thou framedst heau'n earth and hell verse 9 Al these three casements were containd in wit T was wisedome for to frame the heauens skie T was wisedome for to make the earth so fit And hell within the lowest orbe to lie To make a heau'nly clime an earthly course And hell although the name of it be worse Before the world was made wisedome was borne Borne of heau'ns God conceiued in his breast Which knew what works would be what ages worn What labours life should haue what quiet rest What shuld displease and please in vice in good What should be clearest spring what fowlest mud verse 10 Oh make my sinfull bodies world anew Erect new elements new aires new skies The time I haue is fraile the course vntrue The globe vnconstant like ill fortunes eies First make the world which doth my soule contain And next my wisdome in whose power I raigne Illumine earth with wisedomes heau'nly sight Make her embassador to grace the earth Oh let her rest by day and lodge by night Within the closure of my bodies hearth That in her sacred selfe I may perceiue What things are good to take what ill to leaue verse 11 The bodies heate will flow into the face The outward index of an outward deede The inward sins do keepe an inward place Eies face mouth tongue euery function feede She is my face if I do any ill I see my shame in her repugnant will She is my glasse my tipe my forme my mappe The figure of my deede shape of my thought My lifes character fortune to my happe Which vnderstandeth all that heart hath wrought What workes I take in hand she finisheth And all my vitious thoughts diminisheth My facts are written in her foreheads booke verse 12 The volume of my thoughts lines of my words The sins I haue she murders with a looke And what one cheeke denies th' other affords As white and red like battels and retreates One doth defend the blowes the other beates So is her furious moode commixt with smile Her rod is profit her correction mirth She makes me keepe an acceptable stile And gouerne euery limit of the earth Through her the state of monarchie is knowne Through her I rule and guide my fathers throne verse 13 Mortalitie it selfe without repaire Is euer falling feebly on the ground Submissiue body hart aboue the aire Which faine would knowe when knowledge is not found Faine would it soare aboue the Eagles eie Though it be made of lead and cannot flie The soule and body are the wings of man The soule should mount but that lies drownd in sin With leaden spirit but doth what it can Yet scarcely can it rise when it is in Then how can man so weake know God so strong What hart from thought what thought from heart hath sprung verse 14 15 We thinke that euery iudgement is alike That euery purpose hath one finall end Our thoughts alas are feares feares horrors strike Horrors our lifes vncertaine course do spend Feare followes negligence both death and hel Vnconstant are the paths wherein we dwell The hollow concaue of our bodies vaultes Once laden vp with sins eternal graues Strait bursts into the soule the slime of faults And ouerfloweth like a sea of waues The earth as neighbour to our priuy thought keeps fast the mansion which our cares haue bought verse 16 Say can wee see our selues are we so wise Or can we iudge our owne with our owne hearts Alas we cannot folly blindes our eies Mischiefe our mindes with her mischieuous arts Folly raigns there where wisdom shuld beare sway And follies mischiefe barres discretions way O weake capacitie of strongest wit O strong capacitie of weaker sence To guide to meditate vnapt vnfit Blinde in perceiuing earths circumfluence If labour doth consist in mortall skill T is gâ—eater labour to know heauens will verse 17 The toyling spirit of a labouring man Is tosst in casualties of fortunes seas He thinkes it greater labour than he can To runne his mortall course without an ease Then who can gaine or finde celestiall things Vnlesse their hopes a greater labour brings What volume of thy mind can then containe thoghts words works which god thinks speaks