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, [pent. And often knockt his breast, as one that did re

OF

§ 79. Idleness.

which the first, that all the rest did guide, Was sluggish Idleness, the nurse of sin; Upon a slothful ass he chose to ride, Arraid in habit black, and amis thin, Like to an holy monk the servis to begin. And in his hand a portesse still he bare, That much was worne, but therein little red; For of nevotion he had little care, Still drown'd in sleep, and most of his days dead, Scarce could he once uphold his heavy head 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.

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 unparelled,
Are deckt with blossoms dyed in white and red,
That mote the passengers thereto allure;
But whosoever once hath fastened

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

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

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 ruefulness, And fortunes tell, and read in loveing books, And thousand other waies, to bait his fleshly hooks.

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

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 Of that foule evill which all men reprove; (paine That rots the marrow and consumes the

braine:

Such one was Lechery, the third of all this traine. 224 $1.

$84. Life.

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, Yet is as nigh his end, as he that most doth plaine.

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 Doth first peep forth with bashful niodestie, That fairer seems, the less you see her may; Lo, see soon after, how more bold and free Iler 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, Ne more doth flourish after first decay, That earst was sought to deck both bed and 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.

$85. Lion.

LIKE as a lion that by chaunce doth fall

Into the hunter's toil, doth rage and roare, In royal heart disdaining to be thrall: But all in vaine; for what night one do more? They have him taken captive, tho' it grieve him sore.

Another.

Like as a lion, whoes imperial powre A proud rebellious unicorn defies,

T'avoid the rash assault and wrathful stowre Of his fierce foe, him to a tree applies, And when him running in full course he spies, He slips aside; the whiles that furious beast His precious borne sought of his enemies,

Strikes in the stock, ne thence can be releast, But to the mighty victor yields a bounteous feast.

§ 86. Love.

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

Not that same which doth base affections move 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 ever mortal minds has so great might, To order them as best to thee doth seeme, And all their actions to direct aright; The fatal purpose of divine foresight

Thou dost effect in destined descents, Through deep impression of thy secret might; And stirredst up the heroes high intents, Which the late world admires for wondro

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, whoes 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 dav;

But in brave sprite it kindies goodly fire, That to all high desert and honour doth aspi 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:

It lets not scarce this prince to breath at But to his first pursuit him forward still de

call.

L

$88. Mastiff

IKE as a mastiffe, having at a bay A salvage bull, whoes cruel hornes do thre Desperate danger, if he them assay, Traceth his ground, and round about doth be To spy where he may some advantage get: The whilst the beast doth rage and loudly ro

$ 89. Mediocrity. OE second sister, who did far excel

The other two; Medina was her name, A sober, sad, and comely courteous dame; Who rich array'd, and yet in modest guize, In goodly garments, that her well became, Faire marching forth in honourable wise, Him at the threshold met, and well did enter

Instead of comfort which we should embrace: This is the state of Cæsars and of kings. Let none therefore that is in meaner place, Too greatly grieve at any his unlucky case.

Where she all day did hide her hated hew.
Before the door her iron charot stood,
Already harnessed for journey new;

And cole-black steeds yborne of hellish brood, That on their nasty bits did champ, as they were wood.

By this, eternall lamps, where-with high Je Doth light the world, were half yspent, And the moist daughters of huge Atlas shore Into the ocean deep to drive their wearied rose, Now when as all the world in silence deep Yshrowded was, and every mortal wight Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleep. Night, thou foule mother of annoyance sa Sister of heavy death, and nurse of woe,

Which was begot in heaven, but for thy ha And brutish shape, thrust downe to hell bele, Where, by the grim floud of Cocytus slowe,

That dwelling is Herebus' black hous, (Black Herebus, thy husband, is the foe

Of all the Gods) where thou ungracious, Half of thy days doest lead in horrour hedeoc

What had th' Eternal Maker need of thee, The world in his continual course to keep,

That doest all things deface, ne lettest see The beautie of his work? Indeed in sleep The slothful body doth love to steep

His lustless limbs, and drowne his baser mint Doth praise thee oft, and oft from Stygian de Calls thee his goddess, in his errour blin And great dame Nature's hand-maid chear every kind.

But well I wote, that to an heavy heart Thou art the root and nurse of bitter cares,

Breeder of new, renewer of old smarts; Instead of rest, thou lendest rayling tears,

And dreadful visions, in the which alive,

The dreary image of sad death appears:

So from the warie spirite thou dost drive Desired rest, and men of happiness deprive.

Under thy mantle black there hidden lye, Light-shunning theft, and trayterous intent,

Abhorred bloudshed, and vile felony, Shamefull deceipt, and danger iminent: Foule horror, and eke hellish dreriment:

All these (I wote) in thy protection bet, And light doe shunne, for fear being shent: For, light ylike is loth'd of them and ther And all that lewdness love, doe hate the light

to see.

For