[The Courte of Vertu contaynynge many holy songes, Sonettes, psalmes and ballettes] [by John Hall] |
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Against pryde. |
 | [The Courte of Vertu |  |
83
Against pryde.
You
proud men all I saye abyde,
and banishe pryde out of your hart:
if climing high ye haply slyde,
then are ye like to fele some smart,
therfore I saye in tyme conuert,
repent and turne, for that is best,
yet dredfull death doe you areste
and banishe pryde out of your hart:
if climing high ye haply slyde,
then are ye like to fele some smart,
therfore I saye in tyme conuert,
repent and turne, for that is best,
yet dredfull death doe you areste
[83]
Study therfore in holy wryte
And knowe howe that lucifer fell.
Whiche beyng once an angell bryghte
God for his pryde dyd hym expell
Out of all lyght, downe into hell.
Lo here you see the frute of pryde,
I say therfore laye it asyde.
And knowe howe that lucifer fell.
Whiche beyng once an angell bryghte
God for his pryde dyd hym expell
Out of all lyght, downe into hell.
Lo here you see the frute of pryde,
I say therfore laye it asyde.
Before your eyes fixe also this,
Howe Nebucadnezar the kyng,
(Whose dedes in Daniell wrytten is)
Who praisde him selfe aboue all thyng,
And gaue not God his due praysing
Was made an oxe and did eate haye
Seuen yeres, his great pryde to alaye.
Howe Nebucadnezar the kyng,
(Whose dedes in Daniell wrytten is)
Who praisde him selfe aboue all thyng,
And gaue not God his due praysing
Was made an oxe and did eate haye
Seuen yeres, his great pryde to alaye.
And kyng Herod (as sayth scripture)
As he was clad in proude araye,
His owne honor for to procure,
To his own praise great wordes did say:
Therfore Gods angell that same day
Dyd stryke him for his harte vnwyse,
Who vnto death was eate with lyce.
As he was clad in proude araye,
His owne honor for to procure,
To his own praise great wordes did say:
Therfore Gods angell that same day
Dyd stryke him for his harte vnwyse,
Who vnto death was eate with lyce.
Lo if God would such kings not spare
To punysh, for ambition,
What shall we thinke he wyll prepare
To plague our sinfull nacion:
Whiche forsake, their vocation,
And will in no wyse pryde eschue,
Nor seke to serue swete dame vertue.
To punysh, for ambition,
What shall we thinke he wyll prepare
To plague our sinfull nacion:
Whiche forsake, their vocation,
And will in no wyse pryde eschue,
Nor seke to serue swete dame vertue.
For Salomon in sentence play ne
Calles fauor a deceyuyng thyng:
Yea beautie is a thing moste vayne,
Wherin some haue suche delyghtyng:
Which in ill case once wyll them bryng,
Gods heauy wrath they so procure:
Through their proude hartes vayn & vnpure.
Calles fauor a deceyuyng thyng:
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Wherin some haue suche delyghtyng:
Which in ill case once wyll them bryng,
Gods heauy wrath they so procure:
Through their proude hartes vayn & vnpure.
For from the course of reason true
They seme to be vnknowne and strange,
That doe delyght in the vayne hewe,
Of beautie, that so sone wyll change:
For that wherin their rude wittes range,
Is muche more britle then is glasse,
And fades as doth in fieldes the grasse.
They seme to be vnknowne and strange,
That doe delyght in the vayne hewe,
Of beautie, that so sone wyll change:
For that wherin their rude wittes range,
Is muche more britle then is glasse,
And fades as doth in fieldes the grasse.
More inconstant it is also,
That vnto pryde doth you prouoke,
Then wynde that wandreth to and fro:
Yea much more vain thē smothring smoke
Lo thus of vyce you beare the yoke,
Of beautie proude more vyle then slyme,
And fleteth faster then tyme.
That vnto pryde doth you prouoke,
Then wynde that wandreth to and fro:
Yea much more vain thē smothring smoke
Lo thus of vyce you beare the yoke,
Of beautie proude more vyle then slyme,
And fleteth faster then tyme.
A thousand thynges may beauty fade,
As wyse men dayly see and saye:
For if a feuer you inuade.
And shake you but one simple daye:
Is not your beauty gone strayghtwaye?
Your colour shewes your substance iust.
Euen earth and ashes doung and dust.
As wyse men dayly see and saye:
For if a feuer you inuade.
And shake you but one simple daye:
Is not your beauty gone strayghtwaye?
Your colour shewes your substance iust.
Euen earth and ashes doung and dust.
If men were bent the truth to tell,
Is beauty any other thyng,
Then color in the skyn or fell?
Wherin some haue suche reioysing?
But if as well were appearing
Their inwarde partes, then myght we see
A sacke, stufte full of doung fylthy.
Is beauty any other thyng,
Then color in the skyn or fell?
Wherin some haue suche reioysing?
[84]
Their inwarde partes, then myght we see
A sacke, stufte full of doung fylthy.
What syght more strange may there apeare,
Unto our eyes so fantsy full,
Then see one bewtifull and clere,
Declare it selfe so vnfrutfull?
And cause hym whose wites be not dull
Hym self to knowe, a dounghill dyght
As with a cloth purple and whyght.
Unto our eyes so fantsy full,
Then see one bewtifull and clere,
Declare it selfe so vnfrutfull?
And cause hym whose wites be not dull
Hym self to knowe, a dounghill dyght
As with a cloth purple and whyght.
What impudence, yea what madnes
Is it in beutie to glorie?
Forsakyng all sober sadnes,
For thynges that bene transitorie?
Sythe more delectabilitie,
It is to some that see the same,
Then those that therof beare the name?
Is it in beutie to glorie?
Forsakyng all sober sadnes,
For thynges that bene transitorie?
Sythe more delectabilitie,
It is to some that see the same,
Then those that therof beare the name?
I leue of here, for to recite
What other hurtes your bewtie doth.
With your apparell proude and lyght,
Tempting the frailtie of weake youth:
Therefore vse nowe meknes and truth.
This olde sayde sawe may warne you all,
That pryde wyll surely haue a fall.
What other hurtes your bewtie doth.
With your apparell proude and lyght,
Tempting the frailtie of weake youth:
Therefore vse nowe meknes and truth.
This olde sayde sawe may warne you all,
That pryde wyll surely haue a fall.
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