 | Parts added to The mirror for magistrates |  |
39
The Authours induction.
As Somer sweete with all hir pleasures paste,
And leaues began, to leaue both braunche and tree,
While winter colde approatched nere full fast
Mee thought the time, to sadnes moued mee
On drouping daies, not halfe such mirth haue wee:
As when the time of yeare and wether-s fayre,
So moue our mindes, as mocions moue the ayre.
And leaues began, to leaue both braunche and tree,
While winter colde approatched nere full fast
Mee thought the time, to sadnes moued mee
On drouping daies, not halfe such mirth haue wee:
As when the time of yeare and wether-s fayre,
So moue our mindes, as mocions moue the ayre.
The wery nightes, approatched on apace
With darkesom shades, which somewhat breedeth care,
The Sun had take more nere the earth his race,
In Libra than, his greatest swinge hee bare,
For pardy then, the dayes more colder are,
Then fades the greene, fruite timely, herbes are don,
And wynter gines to waste that sommer won.
With darkesom shades, which somewhat breedeth care,
The Sun had take more nere the earth his race,
In Libra than, his greatest swinge hee bare,
For pardy then, the dayes more colder are,
Then fades the greene, fruite timely, herbes are don,
And wynter gines to waste that sommer won.
40
I deemde some booke, of mourning theame was beste
To reade, were with instructions mingled so,
As might againe, refreshe my wittes oppreste
With tediousnes not driue mee quyte therfro:
Wherfore I went the Printers straight vnto,
To seeke some worke of price I surely mente,
That might herein my carefull mynde contente.
To reade, were with instructions mingled so,
As might againe, refreshe my wittes oppreste
With tediousnes not driue mee quyte therfro:
Wherfore I went the Printers straight vnto,
To seeke some worke of price I surely mente,
That might herein my carefull mynde contente.
At length by hap, I found a booke so sad,
As time of yeare or wynter could require,
The Mirroure namde, for Magistrates he had
So finely pende, as harte could well desire,
Which when I read, so set my heart on fire:
Eftsones it mee constraind to take the payne
Not leaue with once, to reade it once againe.
As time of yeare or wynter could require,
The Mirroure namde, for Magistrates he had
So finely pende, as harte could well desire,
Which when I read, so set my heart on fire:
Eftsones it mee constraind to take the payne
Not leaue with once, to reade it once againe.
And as againe, I vewde this worke with heede:
And marked playne eache party tell his fall
Mee thought in mynde, I sawe those men in deede:
Eke howe they came, in order pleading all,
Declaring well, this life is but a thrall:
Sithe those on whom, for Fortunes giftes we stare,
Ofte sooniste sinke in greatest seas of care.
And marked playne eache party tell his fall
Mee thought in mynde, I sawe those men in deede:
Eke howe they came, in order pleading all,
Declaring well, this life is but a thrall:
Sithe those on whom, for Fortunes giftes we stare,
Ofte sooniste sinke in greatest seas of care.
41
For some of these were kinges of highe estate:
And some were Dukes, and came of Regall race:
Some Princes, Lordes and Iudges great that sate
In councell still, decreing euery case:
Some other Knightes, that vices did imbrace:
Some Gentlemen: some poore that looked hie,
Yet euery one had playde his tragoedye.
And some were Dukes, and came of Regall race:
Some Princes, Lordes and Iudges great that sate
In councell still, decreing euery case:
Some other Knightes, that vices did imbrace:
Some Gentlemen: some poore that looked hie,
Yet euery one had playde his tragoedye.
A Mirroure well it may be calde a glasse,
More cleare then any crystall vnder Sun,
In eache respecte, the Tragoedies so passe,
Their names shall lyue, that such a worke begun:
For why with such Decorum is it don:
That Momus spight, which more then Argus eyes
Can neuer watche to kepe it from the wise.
More cleare then any crystall vnder Sun,
In eache respecte, the Tragoedies so passe,
Their names shall lyue, that such a worke begun:
For why with such Decorum is it don:
That Momus spight, which more then Argus eyes
Can neuer watche to kepe it from the wise.
Examples there for all estates you finde,
For iudge (I say) what iustice he should vse:
The noble man to beare a noble mynde,
And not him selfe ambiciously abuse:
The Gentleman vngentlenes refuse:
The ryche, and poore: and euery one may see,
Which way to loue and lyue in his degree.
For iudge (I say) what iustice he should vse:
The noble man to beare a noble mynde,
And not him selfe ambiciously abuse:
The Gentleman vngentlenes refuse:
The ryche, and poore: and euery one may see,
Which way to loue and lyue in his degree.
Me thinkes they might beware by others harme,
And eke eschue to clamer vp so hye:
Yet cursed pride doth all their wittes becharme,
They thinke of naught, but prouerbes true do trie:
Who hewes aloft the chips may hurte his eye:
Who climes the tops of trees, wher bowes ar smal,
Or hawty towres, may quickly catch a fall.
And eke eschue to clamer vp so hye:
Yet cursed pride doth all their wittes becharme,
42
Who hewes aloft the chips may hurte his eye:
Who climes the tops of trees, wher bowes ar smal,
Or hawty towres, may quickly catch a fall.
This thing full well doth Phaëtons fall declare,
And Icarus aloft would flie and soare:
Eke Bladud once of Britayne rule that bare,
Would clyme and flye, but eache did fal therfore.
For Phaëton was with lightning all to tore:
And Icarus the meane that did not recke
Was drownde, by fal did Bladud breake his neck.
And Icarus aloft would flie and soare:
Eke Bladud once of Britayne rule that bare,
Would clyme and flye, but eache did fal therfore.
For Phaëton was with lightning all to tore:
And Icarus the meane that did not recke
Was drownde, by fal did Bladud breake his neck.
The scriptures eake, of such beare witnes can:
As Babilon for high presumption fell.
But let mee ende my tale that I began
When I had red these Tragoedies full well
And paste the night with labours long to tell:
One night at laste I thought to leaue my vse,
And take some ease before I chaungde my muse.
As Babilon for high presumption fell.
But let mee ende my tale that I began
When I had red these Tragoedies full well
And paste the night with labours long to tell:
One night at laste I thought to leaue my vse,
And take some ease before I chaungde my muse.
Wherfore a way from reading I me gate:
My heauy head waxte dull for want of reste.
I layde me downe the night was waxed late,
For lacke of slepe myne eyes were sore oppreste,
Yet fansy still of all their deathes increaste:
Me thoughte nothing my minde from them could take
So long as Somnus suffered me to wake.
My heauy head waxte dull for want of reste.
I layde me downe the night was waxed late,
For lacke of slepe myne eyes were sore oppreste,
Yet fansy still of all their deathes increaste:
Me thoughte nothing my minde from them could take
So long as Somnus suffered me to wake.
43
Then straight appeard in purple colour blacke,
Sweete Somnus reste, which comfortes eche aliue,
By ease of mynde that weares away all wracke,
That noysome night from wery wittes doth driue,
Of labours long the pleasures wee atchiue,
Wherat I ioyde sithe after paynes were past,
I might receiue by Somnus ease at last.
Sweete Somnus reste, which comfortes eche aliue,
By ease of mynde that weares away all wracke,
That noysome night from wery wittes doth driue,
Of labours long the pleasures wee atchiue,
Wherat I ioyde sithe after paynes were past,
I might receiue by Somnus ease at last.
But hee by whom I thought my selfe at rest,
Reuiued all my fancies fonde before,
I more desirous humbly did request:
Him shewe th'vnhappy princes were of yore,
For well I wiste that hee could tell mee more,
Sythe vnto diuers Somnus erste had tolde,
What things were done in elder times of olde.
Reuiued all my fancies fonde before,
I more desirous humbly did request:
Him shewe th'vnhappy princes were of yore,
For well I wiste that hee could tell mee more,
Sythe vnto diuers Somnus erste had tolde,
What things were done in elder times of olde.
At length he foorth his seruaunt Morpheus calde,
And bad him shewe mee from the first to th'ende,
Such persons as in Britayne Fortune thralde.
Which straight vpon his calling did attende,
And thus he spake with countenaunce of frende,
“Come on thy wayes and thou shalt see and here,
“The Britaynes and their doings what they were.
And bad him shewe mee from the first to th'ende,
Such persons as in Britayne Fortune thralde.
Which straight vpon his calling did attende,
And thus he spake with countenaunce of frende,
“Come on thy wayes and thou shalt see and here,
“The Britaynes and their doings what they were.
And as he led me through the darkes a whyle,
At length we came into a goodly hall,
At th'ende wherof there seemde a duskish Ile:
Out of the which he gan the Britaynes call,
Such only as from Fortunes hap did fall:
Which when he called thryce, me seemde to heare,
The doores to cracke from whence they should apeare.
At length we came into a goodly hall,
44
Out of the which he gan the Britaynes call,
Such only as from Fortunes hap did fall:
Which when he called thryce, me seemde to heare,
The doores to cracke from whence they should apeare.
And thryce I shrinkte a syde, and shunde the sight:
And three times thrice I wishte my selfe away:
Eke thrise from thence there flew a flashe of light:
Three times I sawe them comming make their stay:
At laste they all approtchte in such aray:
With sundry shewes, appearing vnto mee,
A straunger sighte then erste with eyes I see.
And three times thrice I wishte my selfe away:
Eke thrise from thence there flew a flashe of light:
Three times I sawe them comming make their stay:
At laste they all approtchte in such aray:
With sundry shewes, appearing vnto mee,
A straunger sighte then erste with eyes I see.
Men mighty bigge, in playne and straunge atyre:
But some with woundes and bloud were so disguisde,
You scarcely could with reasons ayde aspyre,
To knowe what warre such cruell death deuysde.
But sithe I haue their formes beneath comprisde,
Wheras their stories seuerally I showe:
Your selfe therby their cause of death may knowe.
But some with woundes and bloud were so disguisde,
You scarcely could with reasons ayde aspyre,
To knowe what warre such cruell death deuysde.
But sithe I haue their formes beneath comprisde,
Wheras their stories seuerally I showe:
Your selfe therby their cause of death may knowe.
And eke their faces all and bodies were
Destainde with woade, and turkish berds they had,
On th'ouer lippes moutchatoes long of heyre:
And wylde they seemde as men dispeyring mad.
Their lookes did make my fearfull harte full sad,
And yet I could not for my life eschewe
Their presence: or their myndes I likewyse knewe.
Destainde with woade, and turkish berds they had,
On th'ouer lippes moutchatoes long of heyre:
And wylde they seemde as men dispeyring mad.
Their lookes did make my fearfull harte full sad,
45
Their presence: or their myndes I likewyse knewe.
For Morpheus wylde me byde, and bad them tell
Their names, and lyues: their haps, and haples days:
And by what meanes from Fortunes globe they fel,
Which did them erste vnto such honours rayse.
Wherwith the first not making moe delayes,
A persone tall wyde woundes in breste that bare:
Drewe nere to tell the cause of all his care.
Their names, and lyues: their haps, and haples days:
And by what meanes from Fortunes globe they fel,
Which did them erste vnto such honours rayse.
Wherwith the first not making moe delayes,
A persone tall wyde woundes in breste that bare:
Drewe nere to tell the cause of all his care.
And as to speake he wiste he might be bolde,
Depe from his breste, he threwe an vnked sounde:
I was amasde his gestures to beholde:
And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde:
With Ecco so did halfe his wordes rebounde,
That scarce at first the sence might well appeare:
But thus me thought he spake as you shall heare.
Depe from his breste, he threwe an vnked sounde:
I was amasde his gestures to beholde:
And bloud that freshly trickled from his wounde:
With Ecco so did halfe his wordes rebounde,
That scarce at first the sence might well appeare:
But thus me thought he spake as you shall heare.
| Parts added to The mirror for magistrates | |