 | The Labyrinth Of Mans Life |  |
This Tragicall discourse of mans estate,
I heard attentiuely; yet silent sate:
And as I sate in my sad sorrowes Cell,
My hart gaue Eccho, as his speeches fell.
And as I mused what this proiect ment,
A Lady graue, I saw herselfe present,
She's Soueraigne gouernesse within this maze
Her glory great made passionate to gaze,
Her lookes were louing, beauty sun-like bright,
Her stature tall, aboue the cloudes in height,
Her armes extended infinitely farre,
And on her brest a brazen shield for warre:
One hand a Scepter, her other hand did hold,
A sword; her head a Diadem of gold,
Insteed of pearle rich, to adorne the same,
There stream'd from it a farre extending flame,
Ouer her head, a rich pauilion set,
Azure-coulor'd, which in a circle met:
Vnder her feet a Pauement strangely spred,
Layd, and compact of ghastly bodies dead.
I heard attentiuely; yet silent sate:
And as I sate in my sad sorrowes Cell,
My hart gaue Eccho, as his speeches fell.
And as I mused what this proiect ment,
A Lady graue, I saw herselfe present,
She's Soueraigne gouernesse within this maze
Her glory great made passionate to gaze,
Her lookes were louing, beauty sun-like bright,
Her stature tall, aboue the cloudes in height,
Her armes extended infinitely farre,
And on her brest a brazen shield for warre:
One hand a Scepter, her other hand did hold,
A sword; her head a Diadem of gold,
Insteed of pearle rich, to adorne the same,
There stream'd from it a farre extending flame,
Ouer her head, a rich pauilion set,
Azure-coulor'd, which in a circle met:
Vnder her feet a Pauement strangely spred,
Layd, and compact of ghastly bodies dead.
This strange aspect, and vision misticall
I could not thinke, but meere celestiall:
Therefore, without Diuine assistnace, I
Durst not coniect the hidden misterie:
But searching inward truth by outward showe,
I did collect whence eche of these did growe.
I could not thinke, but meere celestiall:
Therefore, without Diuine assistnace, I
Durst not coniect the hidden misterie:
But searching inward truth by outward showe,
I did collect whence eche of these did growe.
Her lookes of loue, imports the sweete delites,
Wherewith she feedes, her constant fauorites,
Her Sun-like beautie, showes she is Diuine,
Her stature tall showes, she's boue sight of eyne.
Her armes extention, her great might imports,
And readinesse to strengthen, her consorts.
Her shield vpon her brest, showes her defence,
When Enuye rageth in great'st violence
Her Scepter showes her power, and loue to peace.
The Sword, her valour, and her mights increase:
Her golden Diademe, her victories,
Her splending beames, doe showe her dignities:
She set within a circkled azure Tent,
Shewes her true limites, and her powers extent.
The pauement, of the corpes of dead men showes,
She hath her foes, and them she ouerthrowes.
She treads them downe that doe withstand her might:
None see her clearl' her beautie shines so bright:
But they alone, whose hearts conformed be,
Haue inward sight, and with delight her see.
They frame the faculties of Sence and Will,
To apprehend the good, and shun the ill.
Attendant on this Ladie graue, I sawe,
A hidious hagge, clad, with rent leaues of Lawe:
For, impious ones, that only worke disdaine,
To seeme vpright, seeke shrowde for outward staine.
Wherewith she feedes, her constant fauorites,
Her Sun-like beautie, showes she is Diuine,
Her stature tall showes, she's boue sight of eyne.
Her armes extention, her great might imports,
And readinesse to strengthen, her consorts.
Her shield vpon her brest, showes her defence,
When Enuye rageth in great'st violence
Her Scepter showes her power, and loue to peace.
The Sword, her valour, and her mights increase:
Her golden Diademe, her victories,
Her splending beames, doe showe her dignities:
She set within a circkled azure Tent,
Shewes her true limites, and her powers extent.
The pauement, of the corpes of dead men showes,
She hath her foes, and them she ouerthrowes.
She treads them downe that doe withstand her might:
None see her clearl' her beautie shines so bright:
But they alone, whose hearts conformed be,
Haue inward sight, and with delight her see.
They frame the faculties of Sence and Will,
To apprehend the good, and shun the ill.
Attendant on this Ladie graue, I sawe,
A hidious hagge, clad, with rent leaues of Lawe:
For, impious ones, that only worke disdaine,
To seeme vpright, seeke shrowde for outward staine.
This hagge was ougly, colour'd pale, and wan;
Her face puft vp, she couer'd with a fan.
Her eyes were fiery, teeth of gastfull shape,
A sword-like tongue, seene when the hagge did gape.
Lyon-like her clawes, in hands and feete were set,
And when she gryp'd, her ougly tallandes met.
Her nosthrels wide, her breath a stinking sent,
Her stature lowe, her bodie corpulent.
Her hands were both the left, she had no right,
Her armes seem'd great, with bowe and arrowes dight.
Her life she leades in darke, and dismall den,
She comes among, but seldome seene of men.
She counterfeits, Camelion-like her hew,
That none may know her by the outward view.
She's alwaies dry, and only drinkes of bloud,
Whereof there flowes, where she abides a floud.
Her face puft vp, she couer'd with a fan.
A sword-like tongue, seene when the hagge did gape.
Lyon-like her clawes, in hands and feete were set,
And when she gryp'd, her ougly tallandes met.
Her nosthrels wide, her breath a stinking sent,
Her stature lowe, her bodie corpulent.
Her hands were both the left, she had no right,
Her armes seem'd great, with bowe and arrowes dight.
Her life she leades in darke, and dismall den,
She comes among, but seldome seene of men.
She counterfeits, Camelion-like her hew,
That none may know her by the outward view.
She's alwaies dry, and only drinkes of bloud,
Whereof there flowes, where she abides a floud.
This hidious sight affrights my minde opprest,
And what it ment, I ponder'd in my brest.
A voyce (me thought) diuinely thunder'd out,
The meaning of this misterie of doubt.
And what it ment, I ponder'd in my brest.
A voyce (me thought) diuinely thunder'd out,
The meaning of this misterie of doubt.
The hagge was Enuie, which did thus appeare,
Her colour pale, imports despite and feare.
Her swolne cheekes, shewes her puft vp with spight,
Couer'd, imports, she flyes reueyling light.
Her fiery eyes, bewray reuenging minde,
Her gastfull teeth, her cruell Tygers kinde.
Her sword-like tongue, imports her words are wounds,
Her gaping mouth, whom she can seaze, confoundes.
Her Lyons clawes, her crueltie imports,
Her stincking breath, her poysoning her consorts.
Her stature lowe, imports she is but weake,
Her belly bigge, she must disgorge or breake.
Both hands sinister, showes she doth no right,
Her bowe and shafts, her furniture of spight.
The denne wherein she liues, in darke doth showe,
That nought in her, but things of darkenesse growe.
Her counterfeyting sundry shapes, declares,
How forging loue, her deepe despite prepares.
None knowing her by outward habit, makes
Some fall into her snares, and them she takes.
Her thirst for bloud, imports her hate so great,
As naught, but death, can quench her hatefull heate.
The spring of bloud that issues from her Cell,
Showes her delights doe spring and flowe from hell.
All which, she cloakes with fayned pietie,
Cou'ting to couer inward onmitie.
This ougly filth, the Mother of despite,
Pursues that Ladie of true loues delite.
Her colour pale, imports despite and feare.
Her swolne cheekes, shewes her puft vp with spight,
Couer'd, imports, she flyes reueyling light.
Her fiery eyes, bewray reuenging minde,
Her gastfull teeth, her cruell Tygers kinde.
Her sword-like tongue, imports her words are wounds,
Her gaping mouth, whom she can seaze, confoundes.
Her Lyons clawes, her crueltie imports,
Her stincking breath, her poysoning her consorts.
Her stature lowe, imports she is but weake,
Her belly bigge, she must disgorge or breake.
Both hands sinister, showes she doth no right,
Her bowe and shafts, her furniture of spight.
The denne wherein she liues, in darke doth showe,
That nought in her, but things of darkenesse growe.
How forging loue, her deepe despite prepares.
None knowing her by outward habit, makes
Some fall into her snares, and them she takes.
Her thirst for bloud, imports her hate so great,
As naught, but death, can quench her hatefull heate.
The spring of bloud that issues from her Cell,
Showes her delights doe spring and flowe from hell.
All which, she cloakes with fayned pietie,
Cou'ting to couer inward onmitie.
This ougly filth, the Mother of despite,
Pursues that Ladie of true loues delite.
These visions strange appal'd my minde opprest;
For sorrowes subiectes, would, but cannot rest:
Yet by the processe of ech course I gessed,
Whose person ech, of all the three expressed.
For sorrowes subiectes, would, but cannot rest:
Yet by the processe of ech course I gessed,
Whose person ech, of all the three expressed.
This passionate, (deseruing) cros'd relates,
By his successe, the change of all estates.
The Ladie faire, true Vertue represents:
The hagge foule Enuie, nurse of Malcontents.
Her cloathing of rent leaues of bookes of Lawe,
Imports her seeming, but of Law no awe.
By his successe, the change of all estates.
The Ladie faire, true Vertue represents:
The hagge foule Enuie, nurse of Malcontents.
Her cloathing of rent leaues of bookes of Lawe,
Imports her seeming, but of Law no awe.
The Ladie modest, had a vayle e'cast
Ouer her face, this hagge oft makes it fast,
Lest men should see the glorie of her face,
And guide them by her rudiments of grace.
Ouer her face, this hagge oft makes it fast,
Lest men should see the glorie of her face,
And guide them by her rudiments of grace.
The Ladie milde, beheld this passionate,
Blush at her presence, and her gracefull gate.
The hagge perchance, did most amaze the man,
Who on the Ladie sprinkles with her fan
Distastfull sauours, and reproche with tongue:
Yet this milde Ladie vndergoes her wronge,
Seemes not to heare, or feele her iniuries;
Custome makes constant in extremities.
Blush at her presence, and her gracefull gate.
The hagge perchance, did most amaze the man,
Who on the Ladie sprinkles with her fan
Distastfull sauours, and reproche with tongue:
Yet this milde Ladie vndergoes her wronge,
Seemes not to heare, or feele her iniuries;
Custome makes constant in extremities.
This gracefull Ladie, doth this common foe,
Captiue at will, yet wils to let her goe.
Giues not consent vnto her workes of hate;
She holds her, feeble, furious, detestate.
Captiue at will, yet wils to let her goe.
Giues not consent vnto her workes of hate;
She holds her, feeble, furious, detestate.
This louely Ladie, with affecting cheere,
Her vaile cast off, wils passionate come neere:
He, fearefull fals, before this Ladie faire,
And seekes on suddaine, outward faults repaire:
For, whoso comes obruptly in the view
Of great estates, will all defectes renew,
And set externall things in order neyte,
Though a meere Pharisaycall conceite.
Much was this passionate deceiu'd in this;
This Ladie lookes, what is within amis.
No outward onament allureth her,
Who thinke to win her by gay garments, erre.
No outward want, or basenesse in attire,
Disgraceth her, none great, make her admire.
Defectes within, she onely loathes, and flyes:
The good within, with grace, she fortifies.
The impious ones, she hates, and scornes to bee
Where that foule hagge is entertain'd, not she.
Her vaile cast off, wils passionate come neere:
He, fearefull fals, before this Ladie faire,
And seekes on suddaine, outward faults repaire:
For, whoso comes obruptly in the view
Of great estates, will all defectes renew,
And set externall things in order neyte,
Though a meere Pharisaycall conceite.
Much was this passionate deceiu'd in this;
This Ladie lookes, what is within amis.
No outward onament allureth her,
Who thinke to win her by gay garments, erre.
No outward want, or basenesse in attire,
Disgraceth her, none great, make her admire.
Defectes within, she onely loathes, and flyes:
The good within, with grace, she fortifies.
The impious ones, she hates, and scornes to bee
Where that foule hagge is entertain'd, not she.
This hatefull hagge, vsurpes dominion
Within this Labyrinth, (disunion)
Before she came, and did intrude the place,
It was no Labyrinth, but place of grace:
But now she bandes, in her al-hatefull bowre,
In spite vsurping vertues seeming powre.
She is most hatefull to the vertuous:
In outward showe, yet, most obsequious.
They scorne to foyle their fingers in her deedes;
Deluding some, yet, by her painted weedes,
Camelion-like she oft transformes her face;
And faines her Angel-like, in frauding grace.
The Ladie shines, and showes her selfe to those
That loue her light, and be blacke Enuies foes.
Her counsell consequent, to'ch passionate,
Showes how to curbe this hagge, though obstinate.
Though she betraies, by wiles, and circumuentes,
The most desertfull, by her instruments.
This Ladie lures, and would haue all men flye
That monster, mother of impietie;
Who luls her louers, like a nurse of spite,
With kisse of curses, seeming sweete delite.
Within this Labyrinth, (disunion)
Before she came, and did intrude the place,
It was no Labyrinth, but place of grace:
But now she bandes, in her al-hatefull bowre,
In spite vsurping vertues seeming powre.
She is most hatefull to the vertuous:
In outward showe, yet, most obsequious.
They scorne to foyle their fingers in her deedes;
Deluding some, yet, by her painted weedes,
Camelion-like she oft transformes her face;
And faines her Angel-like, in frauding grace.
That loue her light, and be blacke Enuies foes.
Her counsell consequent, to'ch passionate,
Showes how to curbe this hagge, though obstinate.
Though she betraies, by wiles, and circumuentes,
The most desertfull, by her instruments.
This Ladie lures, and would haue all men flye
That monster, mother of impietie;
Who luls her louers, like a nurse of spite,
With kisse of curses, seeming sweete delite.
| The Labyrinth Of Mans Life | |