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Fil'd with false rumors, and seditious trouble,,
Bred in assemblies of the vulgar sort,
That still are led with every light report.

And as her eares, so eke her feet were odde, And much unlike, th' one long, the other short, [ward gode, And both misplac't; that when th' one forThe other back retired, and contrary trode.

Likewise unequal were her handes twaine; That one did reach, the other pusht away;

The one did make, the other marr'd againe, And sought to bring all things unto decay; Whereby great riches, gather'd many a day, She in short space did often bring to nought, And their possessours often did dismay.

For all her study was, and all her thought, How she might overthrowe the thing that concord wrought.

So much her malice did her might surpass, That even th' Almighty selfe she did maligne Because to man so merciful he was,

And unto all his creatures so benigne,
Sith she her self was of his grace indigne:
For all this world's faire workmanship she
Unto his last confusion to bring,

[tride

That could have daz'd the rash beholder's sight, [light. And round her head did shine like heaven's She was arraid all in lily white, And in her right hand bore a cup of gold,

With wine and water fill'd up to the height, In which a serpent did himself enfold, That horror made to all that did behold;

But she no whit did change her constant mood;

And in her other hand she fast did hold

A book that was both sign'd and seal'd with blood, {understood. Wherein dark things were writ, hard to be

§ 45. Fancy.

EMONGST them all sate he which wonned

there,

That hight Phantastes by his nature trew;

A man in yeares, yet fresh as mote appeare, Of swarth complexion, and of crabbed hue, That him full of melancholy did shew; [eyes Bent hollow beetle browes, sharp stairing That mad or foolish seem'd: one by his view Mote deem him borne with ill-disposed skyes, Lagonies.

And that great golden chaine quite to divide, With which it blessed concord hath together When oblique Saturne sate in the house of

tide.

$43. Envy.

AND next to him malicious Envie rode, Upon a ravenous wolfe, and still did chaw Between his cankred teeth a venomous toad, That all the poyson ran about his jaw; But inwardly he chawed his own maw [sad, At neighbours wealth, that made him ever For death it was, when any good he saw, And wept, that cause of weeping none he had: [drous glad. But when he heard of harme, he wexed wonAll in a kirtle of discolour'd say He clothed was, ypainted full of eyes;

And in his bosom secretely there lay An hateful snake, the which his tail up ties In many folds, and mortal sting implies. Still as he rode, he gnasht his teeth, to see Those heaps of gold with griple covetise, And grudged at the great felicity Of proud Lucifera, and his own company,

He hated all good works and virtuous deeds, And him no less, that any like did use ;

And who with gracious bread the hungry feeds,

His alms for want of faith he doth accuse;
So every good to bad he doth abuse;

And eke the verse of famous poet's wit
He doth back-bite, and spiteful poison spues
From leprous mouth, on all that ever writ:
Such on vile Envy was, that first in rowe did

sit.

$44. Faith.

Or which the eldest, that Fidelia hight, Like sunny beames threw from her crystal face,

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It now devours with flames and scorching| And like a stately theatre it made, heat, [great. Spreading itself into a spatious plaine, And carries into smoake with rage and horror And in the midst a little river plaid Emongst the pumystones, which seem'd to plaine

49. First Age.

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THE antique world, in his first flowing With gentle murmur that his course they did youth,

Found no defect in his Creator's grace;

But with glad thanks, and unreproved truth, The gifts of soveraigne bouuty did embrace : Like angel's life was then man's happy case; But later ages' pride (like corn-fed steede) Abus'd her plenty, and fat-swoln encrease,

To all licentious lust, and gan exceed The measure of her meane, and natural first need.

Then gan a cursed hand the quiet wombe Of his great grandmother with steele to wound, And the hid treasures in her sacred tombe With sacrilege to dig. Therein he found Fountaines of gold and silver to abound,

Of which the matter of his huge desire And pompous pride eftsoones he did compound,

restraine.

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The joyous birds shrouded in chearful shade, Their notes unto the voyce attempred sweet; The angel call soft trembling voyces made [spire To the instruments divine respondence meet: Then avarice gan through his veines to in- The silver sounding instruments did meet His greedy flames, and kendle life-devouring |

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Not meet to be a councel to a king,
Whose minde in meat and drink was drowned
Full of disease was his carcasse blue,
And a dry dropsy through his flesh did flow,
Which by misdiet daily greater grew: [crew.
Such one was Gluttony, the second of that

§ 51. Grove.

With the base murmure of the waters fall:
The waters fall, with difference discreet,
Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call,
The gently warbling wind lowe answering to
all,

$53. Hermitage.

A LITTLE lowly hermitage it was,
Down in a dale hard by a forest side,
Farre from resort of people that did pass
In travell to and fro: a little wide
There was an holy chapell edified,

Wherein the hermit duly went to say
His holy things each morn and evening tide:

Thereby a crystal streame did gently play,
Which from a sacred fountain welled forth

away.

He thence led me into this hermitage, Letting his steeds to graze upon the green;

Small was his house, and like a little cage, For his own turne, yet inly neat and clean, Deckt with green boughes, and flowers gay be seene;

Therein he them full faire did entertaine, Not with such forged showes, as fitter beene For courting fools that courtisies would faine, [plaine. But with entire affection, and appearance

$ 54. Honor.

WHOSO in pompe of proud estate (quoth

she)

Does swim, and bathes himself in courtly bliss,
Does wast his daies in darke obscurity
And in oblivion ever buried is;
Where ease abounds, it's easie to doe amiss;
But who his limbs with labours, and his
mind

INTO that forest farre they thence him led,
Where was their dwelling in a pleasant glade
With mountains round about environed,
And mighty woods, which did the valley shade,(Behaves with cares, cannot so easie miss.

Abroad in arms, at home in studious kind, Who seekes with painefull toile, shall honour soonest find.

In woods, in waves, in wars she wonts to dwell,

And will be found with perill and with paine;

Ne can the man that moulds in idle cell, Unto her happy mansion attain; Before her gate high God did sweat ordaine, And wakeful watches ever to abide; But easie is the way, and passage plaine

To pleasure's palace; it may soon be spide, And day and night her doors to all stand open wide.

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HER youngest sister, that Speranza hight, Was clad in blue, that her beseemed well,

Not all so chearful seemed she of sight, As was her sister; whether dread did dwell, Or anguish in her heart, is hard to tell :

Upon her arme a silver anchor lay, Whereon she leaned ever, as befell: And ever up to Heaven as she did pray, [way. Her stedfast eyes were bent, ne swarved other 56. Hypocrite.

AT length they chanc't to meet upon the way

An aged sire, in long black weeds yclad,

His feet all bare, his beard all hoary graie, And by his belt his book he hanging had; Sober he seem'd, and very sagely sad,

And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent, Simple in shewe, and void of malice bad,

And all the way he prayed as he went, And often knockt his breast, as one that did repent.

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To looken whether it were night or day. May seem the waine was very evil led,

When such an one had guiding of the way, That knew not whether right he went, or else astray

From worldly cares himself he did esloine, And greatly shunned manly exercise;

For every work he challenged effoine, For contemplation sake: yet otherwise, His life he led in lawless riotise :

By which he grew to grievous maladie; For in his lustless limbs through evil guise A shaking feaver raign'd continually : Such one was Idleness, first of this company. § 58. Ignorance.

AT last, with creeping crooked pace, forth

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For those same islands, seeing now and then,

Are not firme land, or any certein wonne,
But straggling plots: which to and fro do

ronne

In the wide waters: therefore are they hight The Wandring Islands: therefore do them shonne ; [wight

For they have oft drawn many a wandring Into most deadly danger and distressed plight. Yet well they seem to him, that farre doth

view,

Both faire and fruitful, and the ground dispred
With grassie green of delectable hew,
And the tall trees with leaves unparalled,
Are deckt with blossoms dyed in white and

red,

That mote the passengers there to allure: But whosoever once hath fastened

His foot thereon, may never yet recure, But wandreth evermore uncertain and unsure.

$60. Incontinence.

THE wanton lady with her lover rose, [pose Whoes sleepy head she in her lap did soft dis

Upon a bed of roses she was laid,

As faint through heat, or dight to pleasant sin,
And was arraid, or rather disarraid,
All in a veil of silk and silver thin,'
That hid no whit her alabaster skin,

But rather showed more white, if more
might be :

More subtile web Arachne cannot spin,

Nor the fine nets which oft we woven see

Of scorched dew, do not in th' air more lightly flee.

§ 61. Lechery.

AND next to him rode lustfull Lechery, Upon a bearded goat, whoes rugged haire, And whaley eyes (the signe of jealousie) Was like the person self whom he did beare; Who rough and black, and filthy did appeare, Unseemly man to please fair lady's eye; Yet he of ladys oft was loved dear,

When fairer faces were bid standen by: O! who does know the bent of woman's fantasie?

In a green gowne he clothed was full faire,
Which underneath did hide his filthiness,

And in his hand a burning heart did bare,
Full of vaine follies, and new fangleness,
For he was false, and fraught with fickleness,

And learned had to love with secrett lookes,
And well could dance and sing with rueful-

ness,

|Doth first peep forth with bashful modestie, Thus fairer seems, the less you see her may Lo, see soon after, how more bold and free

Her bared bosom she doth broad display; Lo, see soon after, how she fades and falls away.

So passeth in the passing of a day,
Of mortal life the leafe, the bud, the flowre,
That earst was sought to deck both bed and
Ne more doth flourish after first decay,

bowre

Of many a lady, and many a paramoure :
Gather the rose of love, whilst yet is time,
Whilst loving thou mayst loved be with equal
crime.

§ 63. Love.

[sky,

O SACRED fire that burnest mightily In living brests, ykindled first above, Emongst th' eternal spheres and lamping And thence pour'd into men, which men call love; [move

Not that same which doth base affections In brutish mindes, and filthy lust inflame; But that sweet fit, that does true beauty love, And choseth vertue for his dearest dame, Whence spring all noble deeds, and neverdying fame.

Well did antiquitie a god thee deeme, That over mortal minds has so great might, [books, To order them as best to thee doth seeme, And fortunes tell, and read in loveing And all their actions to direct aright; And thousand other waies, to bait his fleshly hooks.

Inconstant man, that loved all he saw, And lusted after all that he did love,

Ne would his looser life be tied to law, But joy'd weak women's hearts to tempt and prove,

If from their loyal loves he might them move;
Which lewdness fill'd him with reproachful
paine

Of that foul evill which all men reprove,
That rots the marrow and consumes the
braine :
[traine.
Such one was Lechery, the third of all this
§ 62. Life.

O WHY doe wretched men so much desire
To draw their days unto the utmost date,

And doe not rather wish them soon expire,
Knowing the misery of their estate,
And thousand perils which them still awaite,
Tossing themselves like a boat amid the
maine

That every hour they knock at deathes gate?
And he that happy seemes, and least in
paine,
[plaine.
Yet is as nigh his end, as he that most doth

The whiles some one did chaunt this lovely

lay;
Ah see, who so faire thing dost faine to see,
In springing flowre the image of thy day;
All see thy virgin rose, how sweetly shee

The fatal purpose of divine foresight
Thou dost effect in destined descents,
Through deep impression of thy secret might;
And stirredst up the heroe's high intents,
Which the late world admires for wondrous
monuments.

Wondrous it is to see in diverse mindes,
How diversely Love doth his pageants play,

And shews his power in variable kinds :
The baser wit, whose idle thoughts alway
Are wont to cleave unto the lowly clay,
It stirreth up to sensual desire,
And in lewd sloth to wast its careless day;

But in brave sprite it kindles goodly fire,
That to all high desert and honour doth aspire
Ne suffereth uncomely idleness
In his free thought to build her sluggish nest;
Ne suffereth it thought of ungentleness,
Ever to creep into his noble brest;
But to the highest and the worthiest

Lifteth it up, that else would lowly fall:
It lets not fall, it lets it not to rest :

[all,

It lets not scarce this prince to breathe at But to his first pursuit him forward still doth

call.

$64. Madness.

WITH hundred iron chains he did him bind, An hundred knotts that did him sore constraine :

Yet his great iron teeth he still did grinde, | And grimly gnash, threatning revenge in vaine!

[fire;

decay,

His burning eyn, whom bloudy strakes did] And when in wrath he threats the world's staine, [stay. Stared full wide, and threw forth sparks of They do his anger calme, and cruel vengeance And more for ranke despight, then for great

paine, [wire, Shak't his long locks, colour'd like copper And bit his tawny beard to shew his raging

ire.

§ 65. Mercy.

THEY, passing by, were guided by degree Unto the pressance of that gratious queen: Who sate on high, that she might all men And might of all men royally be seene, [see, Upon a throne of gold full bright and sheene; Adorned all with gemmes of endless price, As either might for wealth have gotten been, Or could be fram'd by workman's rare device; [lice. And all embost with lyons and with flowre-deAnd over all her cloth of state was spred, Not of rich tissew, nor of cloth of gold,

Nor of aught else that may be richest red, But like a cloud, as likest may be told, [fold; That her broad spreading wings did wide unWhose skirts were bordered with bright sunny beames, Glistring like gold, amongst the plights enrold, And here and there shooting forth silver streames, [the glittering gleames. Mongst which crept the little angels through

Seemed those little angels did uphold The cloth of state, and on their purpled wings Did bear the pendants, thro' their nimbless bold,

Besides a thousand more of such, as sings Hymnes to high God, and carols heavenly things,

Encompassed the throne, on which she sate: She angel-like, the heir of ancient kings

And mighty conquerors, in royal state, Whilst kings and Cæsars at her feet did them prostrate.

Thus she did sit in sovereign majestie, Holding a sceptre in her royal hand,

The sacred pledge of peace and clemencie, With which high God had blest her happy land,

Maugre so many foes which did withstand.

But at her feet her sword was likewise layd, Whose long rest rusted the bright steely brand, Yet when as foes enforc't, or friends sought ayde,

She could it sternly draw, that all the world dismaide.

And round about before her feet there sate A beautie of faire virgins clad in white,

That goodly seem'd t' adorne her royal state, All lovely daughters of high Jove, that hight Lite, by him begot in love's delight,

Upon the righteous Themis: those they say Upon Jove's judgment-seat waite day and night,

They also doe, by his divine permission, Upon the thrones of mortal princes tend,

And often treat for pardon and remission To suppliants through frailtie which offend; Those did upon Marcillæ's throne attend :

Just Dice, wise Eunomie, mild Eirene; And them amongst, her glory to commend,

Sate goodly Temperance, in garments clene And sacred Reverance, yborne of heavenly

strene.

Some clerks doe doubt in their deviceful art, Whether this heavenly thing, whereof I treat, To weeten, mercy, be of justice part, Or drawne forth from her by divine extreate. This well I wote; that sure she is as great, And meriteth to have as high a place, Sith in th' Almightie's everlasting seat [race She first was bred, and borne of heavenly From thence pour'd down on men, by influ ence of grace.

For if that virtue be of that great might, Which from just verdict will for nothing start, But to preserve inviolated right, Oft spoils the principal to save the part; So much more then is that of powre and art,

That seekes to save the subject of her skill, Yet never doth for doom of right depart :

As it is greater praise to save, than spill; And better to reforme, than to cut off the ill. § 66. Minerva.

LIKE as Minerva, being late return'd From slaughter of the giants conquered : Where proud Encelade, whose wide nose

trils burn'd

With breathed flames, like to a furnace red, Transfixed with his spear, down tumbled dead From top of Hemus, by him heaped hie, Hath loos'd her helmet from her lofty head, And her Gorgonian shield gins to untie From her left arme, to rest in glorious victorie. § 67. Morning.

Ar last fair Hesperus, in his highest sky Had spent his lamp, and brought forth dawn ing light,

Then up he rose, and clad him hastily; The dwarfe him brought his steed: so both away did fly.

Another.

Ar last the golden oriental gate Of greatest heaven gan to open faire, [mate,

And Phoebus fresh, as bridegrome to his Came dancing forth, shaking his deawy haire: And hurles his glistering beams thro' gleomy

aire.

Another.

SOON as the fiery streakes with purple beames

Disperse the shadows of the misty night,

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