And might of all men royally be seene,
Upon a throne of gold full bright and fheene;
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;

And all embost with lyons and with flowre-de lice.

And over all her cloth of ftate was fpred, Not of rich tiffew, nor of cloth of gold,

Nor of ought elfe that may be richest red, But like a cloud, as likeft may be told, That her broad fpreading wings did wide unfold; Whocs fkirts were bordered with bright funny beames,

Gliftring like gold, amongst the plights enrold, And here and there fhooting forth filver ftreames, Mongft which crept little angels thro' the glittering gleames.

Seemed thofe little angels did uphold The cloth of state, and on their purpled wings

Did bear the pendants, thro' their nimblefs bold, Befides a thousand more of fuch, as fings Hymnes to high God, and carols heavenly things, Encompaffed the throne, on which the fate: She angel-like, the heir of ancient kings And mighty conquerors, in royal state, Whilft kings and Cæfars at her feet did them proftrate.

Thus fhe did fit in fovereign majeftic, Holding a fcepter in her royal hand,

The facred pledge of peace and clemencie, With which high God had bleft her happy land, Maugre fo many foes which did withstand.

But at her feet her fword was likewife layd, Whoes long reft rusted the bright steely brand, Yet when as focs enforc't, or friends fought ayde, She could it sternly draw, that all the world difmaide;

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

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

Upon the righteous Themis: those they fay Upon Jove's judgment-feat waite day and night, And when in wrath he threats the world's decay, They doe his anger calme, and cruel vengeance stay.

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

And often treat for pardon and remiflion To fuppliants through frailtie which offend; Thole did upon Marcillae's throne attend:

Juft Dice, wife Eunomie, mild Eirene; And them amongst, her glory to commend, Sate goodly Temperance, in garments clene, And facred Reverance,yborne of heavenlyftrene. Some clerkes 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 fure fhe is as great, And meriteth to have as high a place,

Sith in th' Almighties everlafting feat
She firft was bred, and borne of heavenly race;
From thence pour'd down on men, by influence
of gracc.

For if that virtue be of that great might,
Which from juft verdict will for nothing start,
But to preferve inviolated right,
Oft fpoils the principal to fave the part;
So much more then is that of powre and art,
That feckes to fave the fubject of her skill,
Yet never doth from doom of right depart:
As it is greater praife to fave, than fpill;
And better to reforme, than to cut off the ill.

daine,

Some times the raught him ftones, wherewith to

finite,

Sometimes her staff, tho' it her own leg were, Withouten which the could not go upright; Ne evil means fhe did forbeare, [reare. That might him move to wrath, and indignation

$168. Palace of Sleep.

TO Morpheus' house doth haftily repaire:

Amid the bowels of the earth full fteep And lowe, where dawning day doth never peep, His dwelling is; there Thetys his wet bed

Doth ever wath, and Cynthia ftill doth steep In filver dew his ever drouping head, Whiles fad night over him her mantle black doth spread.

Whofe double gates he findeth locked fast, The one faire fram`d with burnish'd ivory, The other all with filver over-caft;

And fhut up faft within her prifons blind, Makes the huge element against her kind To move, and tremble as it were aghast, Untill that it an iffue forth may find, Then forth it breakes, and with his furious blaft Confound both land and feas, and sky doth overcast.

§ 171. Sun.

AS when two Suns appear in th' azure sky,

Mounted in Phoebus' chariot fierie bright: Both darting forth faire beames to each man's eye, And both adorn'd with lars of flaming light, All that behold fuch ftrange prodigious fight,

Not knowing nature's work, nor what to weene, Are wrapt with wonder and with rare affright.

$172. Phaeton.

Watching to banith Care their enemy,

Who oft is wont to trouble gentle fleep. By them the spright doth pafs in quietly, [deep And unto Morpheus comes, whom drownded In drowfie fit he finds: of nothing he takes keep. And more to lull him in his flumbers foft,

A trickling ftream from high rock tumbling
down,

And ever drizling raine upon the loft,
Mixt with a murmuring wind, much like the found
Of fwarming bees, did caft him in a fwoone:

No other noife, nor peoples troublous cryes, As ftill are wont t' annoy the walled town, Might there be heard: but carclefs quiet lies, Wrapt in eternal filence, farre from enemies.

§ 169. Tyger.

A
S when two tygers, pinch'd with hunger's rage,
Have by good fortune found fome beaft's fresh
fpoyle,

On which they ween their famin to affwage, And gaine a feaftful guerdon of their toyle, Both falling out, do flir up ftrife-full broyle,

And cruell battell twixt themfelves do make. Whiles neither lets the other touch the fpoyle, But either 'fdeignes with other to partake. Another.

As when a tyger and a lyonefs
Are met a fpoyling of fome hungry prey,
Both challenge it with equal greedinefs:
But firft the tyger clawes thereon did lay;
And therefore, loth to loos her right away,

Doth in defence thereof full ftoutly ftond:
To which the lyon strongly doth gainfay,

That the to hunt the beaft firft took in hond; And therefore ought it have, where ever the it found.

$ 170. Winds.

LIKE as a boift'rous wind, [hid, Which in th' earth's hollow caves hath long been

childe,

THE

Of fowle mishapen wights, of which some were Headed like owles, with beakes uncomely bent, Cthers like dogs, others like gryphons dreare, And fome had wings, and fome had clawes to teare, And every one of them had lynces eyes, And every one did bowe and arrowes beare,

All thofe were lawless lufts, corrupt envies, And covetous aspects, all cruell enemies. Did lay itrong fiege, and battailous affault, Thofe fame against the bulwarke of the fight

Ne once did yield it refpit day nor night, But foon as Titan gan his head exault, Ard foon again as he his light withhault,

Their wicked engines they against it bent: That is, each thing by which the eyes may fault; But two than all more huge and violent, Beautyand money, they that bulwark forelyrent.

Gnawing her nayles for felnefs and for ire, And thereout fucking venom to her parts intire. A foule and loathly creature fure in fight, And in conditions to be loath'd no less :

For fhee was ftuft with rancour and defpight Up to the throat; that oft with bitterness It forth would break, and gufh in great excefs, Pouring out ftreames of poyfon and of gall, Gainst all that truth or virtue doe profeffe;

Whome the with leefings lewdly did mifcall, And wickedly back-bite: her name men Slander call.

Her nature is, all goodness to abufe,
And caufelefs crimes continually to frame;

With which the guiltlefs perfons may accufe, And steale away the crowne of their good name: Ne ever knight fo bold, ne ever dame

So chaft and loyall liv'd, but he would ftrive With forged caufe them falfely to defame: Ne ever thing was done fo well alive, But the with blame would blot, and of due praise deprive.

Her words were not as common words are ment, T'exprefs the meaning of the inward minde; But noifome breath, and poys'nous fpirit fent From inward parts, with cancar'd malice lin'd, And breathed forth with blaft of bitter winde; Which paffing thro' the eares, would pearce the heart,

And wound the foul it felf with grief unkind: For, like the ftings of afpes, that kill with finart, Her fpightfull words did prick and wound the inner part.

§ 175. Storme.

HEE cryde, as rageing feas are wont to rore, When wintry ftorme his wrathfull wreck does threat,

The rolling billows beat the ragged fhore, As they the earth would fhoulder from her feat, And greedy gulf does gape, as he would eat

His neighbour element in his revenge: Then gin the bluftering breathren boldly threat, To move the world from off his ftedfaft henge, And boyftrous battell make,each otherto avenge. Another.

Like to a ftorm that hovers under skie Long here and there, and round about doth flie, At length breaks down in raine, and haile, and fleet, Firft from one coaft, till nought thereof be dry; And then another, till that likewife fleet; And fo from fide to fide, till all the world be weet.

And next her wrinkled skin rough fackcloth wore,
And thrice three times did fast from any bit.
Upon the image with his naked blade
Three times, as in defiance, there the stroke;
And the third time, out of an hidden shade,
There forth iffued from under the altar fmoake,
A dreadful fiend, with foul deformed look,

That ftretcht it self, as it had long lain frill;
That her long taile and feathers ftrongly thook,
That all the temple did with terror fill;
Yet him nought terrified, that feared nothing ill.
An huge great beaft it was, when it in length
Was ftretched forth, that nigh fill'd all the plass,
And feem'd to be of infinite great streng h;
Horrible, hideous, and of hellish race,
Borne of the brooding of Echidna base,

Or other like infernall furies kind: For of a maide fhe had the outward face,

To hide the horrour which did lurk behind, The better to beguile whom the fo fond did nad. Thereto the body of a dog she had, Full of fell ravin and fierce greediness;

A lyon's clawes with power and rigour clad, To rend and teare what fo the can opprefs; And dragon's taile, whocs fting without redrefs

Full deadly wounds, when fo it is empight;
An eagle's wings for scope, and speediness,
That nothing may efcape her ravening might,
Whereto the ever lift to make her hardy flight.
Much like in foulness and deformitie
Unto that monfter, whom the Theban knight

The father of that fatal progeny,
Made kill herself for very heart's despight,
That he had read her riddle, which no wight
Could ever loofe, but fuffred deadly doole:
So alfo did this monster use like flight

To many a one, which came into her fchool,
Whom the did put to death, deceived like a fool.