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Minerva Britanna

Or A Garden of Heroical Deuises, furnished, and adorned with Emblemes and Impresa's of sundry natures, Newly devised, moralized, and published, By Henry Peacham

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82

Arbiter ipse mei.

Vnto his life, who lookes with heedie eie,
And labors most to keepe a conscience pure,
And doubtes to treade, in errors pathes awrie:
That man is blest, and deemed happie sure:
When vicious persons, even vnto their graues,
Are lewde affections, and their vices slaues.
For as the Lion, that hath slipt his band,
Or shear'd the chaine, that did his courage hold,
Doth not in awe, of churlish keeper stand,
But since is waxen, more couragious bold:
The righteous man, so from hells bondage free,
Hath heartes content, ioind with his libertie.