 | The trivmph of trueth |  |
3
THE TRIVMPH of Trueth.
[When God had by his mightie power]
When God had by his mightie powermade heauen the earth & sea:
Hee shaped Adam in his fourme
from earthy slime and clay.
And placed him in Paradice,
as keeper of the same:
But hee transgrest, then God was wrath.
Who turnd him thence with shame.
Wherby, wee Children vnto him,
and heires vnto his fall:
Are apt by Nature vnto sinne,
and subiect vnto thrall.
Such is in vs the small regarde,
which Nature dooth vs giue:
If Reason did not teach a mean,
to learn vs wel to liue.
The pleasures of our pamperd Prime,
wherin wee vse to ioy:
Are but seducements vnto sinne,
whence springeth our annoy.
For let vs run our youthful race,
vnto our largest lust:
If not ere Age, when yeeres comes on,
wee finde therin no trust.
4
that hee dooth rather chuse:
Although he sees how vain it is,
the wayes of vice to vse
Whence nether looue or freendly speech
may seem to mooue his minde:
Nor others harmes of lothsome shame,
which Follies fall dooth finde,
Deceit by wiles induceth him,
to taste her poisned sap:
When Error in his tender yeeres,
dooth lul him in her lap.
Wherewith his witlesse wil is brought,
vnto his owne desire:
From sinne to sinne in wilful meanes,
hee seeketh to aspire.
The dayly danger of whose fall,
if hee consider well:
With feare may daunt his carelesse minde,
in seeking to rebel.
What greeuous greef is it to see,
th'vntrust of his estate:
What cruel horror to obtain,
for sinne his Parents hate.
How lamentable ist to see,
therof the lothsome shame?
How greeuous to the eare to heare
Of Follie the exclame.
Beside what greef may greater bee,
the[n] Parents to beholde:
A shamlesse sonne in shameful sorte,
his ruin to vnfolde.
5
which witlesse Youth dooth tread.
Wee see how vain desire by wiles,
to follie dooth him lead.
Whose wilful paths so plesant be,
in soothing of his minde:
That hee forgets how vain it is,
vntil his fall hee finde.
The tedious care his Parents had,
in tendring of his youth:
The toyle they took in teaching him,
to follow what is trueth.
The cost of welth they did bestowe,
in learning vpon him:
The charge in nurishing his Corps,
and clothing of it trim.
Are soon forgot as things of nought.
When hee comes vp to yeeres,
And vnregarding of him self,
forgets his Parents cares.
His learning left, the cost bestowed
vpon him is in vain:
His profit quite forgot vntill
his pleasure breeds his pain.
All things are irksome vnto him,
which dooth his minde perswade:
Vnto his good, but they are sweet
which shamelesse sinnes doo shade.
What lothsome vice leaues hee vnvsde,
what meanes dooth hee procure?
In seeking fondly after that,
which Reason prooues vnsure.
6
with follies that be vain:
His eyes delight to gaze vpon
the troup of Venus train.
His coursie Carcasse hee dooth make,
inferiour vnto lust:
His minde is redy to receiue,
the goods he gets vniust.
His harmful hart dooth bode with harme,
his lothsome tung dooth tel:
His shamelesse sin in shamelesse sorte,
the which contents him wel,
It greeueth him to come in place,
where godly liuers bee:
The simple he derides and smiles
their dealings iust to see.
Hee glories of the gotten gain,
which wrongfully hee gets:
Hee borrowes but hee seeketh not,
again to pay his dets.
Hee runnes from place to place,
and hath no certain stay:
Such are the frutes of them who seeks,
by sinne their owne decay.
Whose greeuous end of life is such,
as may example giue:
To other viewers of their fall,
to learn them wel to liue.
But shamelesse sinne dooth beare such sawy
within the mindes of Youth:
That hee is carelesse to receiue,
the warninges tends to trueth.
7
as sencelesse of respect:
Their dutie vnto God and Man,
doo more and more neglect:
For as hee groweth vnto yeeres,
so growes hee vnto sin:
Delighted with the filthie vice
they haue been nousled in.
And fondly soothing of him self,
to run his retchlesse race:
Dooth finde occasion at the length,
to mone his wretched case.
For proofe wee see by dayly vieu,
the shamelesse fall of such:
Who vnregarding of their weale,
doo trust their wits to much.
The minde of Youth is setled so,
vnto his owne desire:
That hee is redy to obey,
what filthie sinnes require.
More perfect proofe hath not been seen,
then present at this day:
So carelesse Youth is proued now,
to seeke his owne decay.
And feeding of his carelesse minde,
with fancies that be vain:
The mean estate of quiet life,
dooth stoubbornly disdain:
Shall (I saith hee) inferiour bee,
or seeme to yeeld to those:
Whose counsaile to my lustie prime,
no taste of plesure showes.
8
and I for one shall shift:
In euery place where so I come,
my learning is a gift.
My stock wil serue mee yet awhile,
my Feends wil redy bee:
If I shall want at any time,
with aid to succor mee.
Who ventures not, shall neuer win,
who looks not, can not finde:
Thus carelesse youth with fond conceits,
dooth sooth his retchlesse minde.
But when that hee hath spent his time,
in running of his race:
And wasted what his Freends him left,
ashamde to showe his face.
With wishes vain I would (saith hee)
that I had been content:
To learn a trade to liue in Youth,
which lewdly I haue spent.
The fauour which hee surely thought,
by freendship to obtain:
Hee prooues vnsure, and hee is forst,
to sterue or els take pain.
His former Freendes beholdes his want,
and wish him to forsee:
The danger of his poor estate,
wherin hee seemes to bee.
His learning nought preuaileth him,
to help him at his need:
And profferd seruice seldome now,
of entertainments speed.
9
in danger of his fall:
To ruin, shame and misery,
hee yeelds him self a thrall.
From whence such careful thoughts of greef
doo daunt his troubled brest:
That though he would yet can hee not,
enioy his former rest.
Wherby he falls to further vice,
vnlesse of mercy great:
God dooth withdrawe his carelesse minde,
with filthy sinne repleat
My self hath tryed vnto my greef,
th'vntrust of wilful youth:
My self hath lothde the freendly speech,
which tended vnto trueth,
And soothing of my self in sin,
as carelesse of my good:
Forgot the proffit of my prime,
which Resons skil withstood.
In which estate of carelesse life,
I often did beholde:
Such sundry shiftes of shamelesse sinne,
as greeues mee to vnfolde.
Such filthie follies wherwithall,
through Fancie Youth is led:
Such boasting vaunts of vanitie,
which rules his idle hed.
Such wilful motions of the minde,
such pampering vp in pride:
Such dealings tending to deceit,
as few can them abide.
10
to couer his abuse:
Such redines of wit and minde,
to put his sinne in vse.
Such trusting to his owne conceit,
such bosting of his wit:
Such seeking after vain delights,
as sure are far vnfit.
Such small regarde of Parents care,
such little dutie showen:
To Elders, as vntil this time,
the like hath not been knowen.
Such lewd neglecting of their good,
such following what is vain:
Such shifts to put his vice in vre,
with coullours of disdain.
Bad are the seeds which hee doth sowe,
but wursse he reaps again:
Hee loades him self with heapes of harmes,
which he cuts vp with pain.
His harvest is a lothsome greef,
his labour tedious toyle:
And looking for a fertile ground,
hee findes a brambled soyle.
For though a while he fondly feeds,
his fancie with delight:
Ere long it vades as vapours doo,
deminish from our sight.
His youthful pleasures passe away,
as dooth a blast of winde:
Whose force once past vnto our vieu,
no state dooth leaue behinde.
11
which surgesse in the seas:
Are of no force when as the calme,
their furie dooth appease.
So is the stay of youthes estate,
which cannot long indure,
Because it hath a thousand meanes,
his chaunges to procure.
For as hee hath a time to liue,
so all things haue a time
And Time dooth vade, so certain doo
the pleasures of our prime.
Our time the ancient Writers haue,
definde as wingd to flee.
With back and hed behinde all bare,
whose locks before her bee.
The reason why because there is,
in her a present state,
Which past, to call her back again,
wee prooue it is to late.
Her wings expresse how swift shee is,
our carelesse mindes to leaue:
Esteeming not the proffit good,
in time we might receiue.
Wherfore if Youth would haue respect,
vnto his present time:
With wishes vain olde Age should not,
bemone his idle prime.
With sorrowing sighs from heuy hart,
hee need not to lament:
The follies of his fancy fond
if time had wel been spent.
12
the time which present is:
To serue his vse when need requires,
a time shall surely misse.
Then learn to vse thy time so wel,
that lest when time is past:
Thou wish thou hadst employd thy self,
when profferd time did last.
Look ere thou leap haue care vpon,
the danger of thy fall:
Remember that thy self and thine,
at length to cinders shall.
What hast thou then to vaunt vpon,
what glorie is in thee?
Thy dayes decaies, thy pleasures passe,
thy carcasse lothde shalbee.
Be mindful how vnsure it is,
to trost to thine estate:
Then with thy self of what is vain,
thou shalt the motions hate.
Haue care for what intent thou wast,
appointed on the earth:
Remember that thy time is vain,
when comes vncertain death.
Vse heer thy talent to thee lent,
that when thou makste account:
How thou hast spent the vse therof,
th'increase may wel surmount.
Flee from the waies of filthie vice,
learn wel in time to liue:
Bee mindful that vnto the Lord,
thou shalt a reckoning giue.
13
to call thy self from sin:
Remember how vncertain is,
the state thou liuest in.
Eschue the snares of vain delight,
as meanes vnto thy fall:
Learn how to leaue such follies fond,
which may procure thy thrall.
And to the warnings of thy Freends,
be redy to obey:
Lest vnregarding of their woords,
thou runst to thy decay.
Let others fall example giue,
in teaching thee to flee:
The suttle snares of shamelesse sinnes,
whose paths distruction bee.
Thus in thy youth in Vertue liue,
So shall thine Age be blest:
And when thy earthly life is past,
thy soule shall liue in rest.
FINIS.
Nil tam dificile quod non solertia vincat.
The Argument of the Triumph.
Frō tender yeers when Youth is brought
To knowledge by the Parents care:
The gifts of good which Learning wrought
To vain attempts seduced are.
To knowledge by the Parents care:
The gifts of good which Learning wrought
To vain attempts seduced are.
14
The leud desires of Fancies willes,
Withdrawes his mīde from Vertues lore:
And feeds his wit with worldly guiles,
Which retchlesse life, makes Age deplore.
Withdrawes his mīde from Vertues lore:
And feeds his wit with worldly guiles,
Which retchlesse life, makes Age deplore.
His Parents woords and weeping eyes,
Can not perswade him vnto good:
(But as vnmeet) their speech defies,
As though that Reson it withstood.
Can not perswade him vnto good:
(But as vnmeet) their speech defies,
As though that Reson it withstood.
Yet when his youthful yeeres are spent,
And Age with stealing steps drawes ny:
With tristfull teares his cheeks besprent,
To late his Fancies shall defie.
And Age with stealing steps drawes ny:
With tristfull teares his cheeks besprent,
To late his Fancies shall defie.
FINIS.
Sola Virtus.
Shall hautie harts enioy ye stately seatOf heauēly power by their vsurping pride
Shall redy wits by learned Art intreat,
With blessed Saints as equall to abide?
Shall worldly men whose riches doo aboūd
For gotten welth a heuenly place obtain?
Is this ye mean wheron we ought to groūd
Our ernest faith? no, these be vaūtes of vain
Its vertuous life, whose hautie honor is
By Fame extolde vnto the loftie Skie:
Frō whence wee get the path to perfect blis
Which these vain vaūtes makes men deny.
15
Although she seemes to sit in euery bower:
Her godly fear of modest life decaith:
As vnesteemd, & vice depriues her power.
Bona vertuntur in mala.
The shālesse sins which shālesse sots doo vseWtdrawes ye minde frō vertue vnto vice:
And wallowing in their owne cōceites abuse
The gifts they ought to gouern wt advice.
Few liues content wt their appointed state
Moste enuies at their neibours good successe
Mindes are corrupted wt a deadly hate,
All are enclinde to follow wickednes.
Sin sits aloft and treads down Godlynes,
Vice conquers vertue, falshod wrōgeth trueth
Hate hinders looue, plenty by couetousnes
Is waxed poor, the greater is the rueth.
Freendship is colde & woordes esteemed wīde
Deeds few or none belonging vnto good:
Flattery dooth florish ye simple sorte to blinde,
And smiling lookes are redy to spill blood.
In plesant speech deceitful craft is hid,
In promise fair, performaunce is not found:
Reson and right in matters are forbid,
Rich wrongs ye poor, & presse thē to ye groūd.
Few things are doon as they apointed were,
Good gifts of God are turned to abuse:
The mindes of men to sinne adicted are,
Of this vain world such is the common vse.
FINIS.
16
[Among the motions of my Minde]
The Argument.
Among the motions of my Minde,mee thought I plain did see:
How Cæsar in his armour braue,
aduaunst his force to mee.
Which glorie when hee had pronounst,
by reason I did finde:
In seeking of such great Attempts,
Ambition moou'd his minde.
Wherwith the honor of his deeds,
beeing blemisht with desire
Of Lucre, vanish from my sight,
as smoke dooth from the fire.
FINIS.
Giue place, let Iulius Cæsar speak,
whose name Reporte dooth sou[nd
Through out the World for conquests g[reat
in sundry Regions found.
Whose Rumor raisd by such Report
for his victorious might:
Made Forrains feare of force of Ar[mes
with Cæsar for to fight.
Who rulde but Iulius Cæsar then
who bare the sway but hee
Bothe People stout and Citties fair,
inferiour were to mee.
I got renowme in euery place
if men renoum'd may bee:
And got the glorie of the Earth,
for Marsses pollicie.
Huge Castels, Towers and Du[kes
by mee were ouer throwen
None durst the Romains force r[esist
defiance beeing showen.
With Rampiers huge I rased d[own
their cities which were [strong
Bulwarks built of mightie stone
my forces laid along
I tr]encht their Cities round about,
and did them vndermine
I scalde their Fortes and made the men,
in caues them selues to shrine.
My furie death, my fauor life.
vnto the yeelding minde:
The] neighbour Regions round about,
to tribute I did binde.
Of mine] exploits perceiuing then,
the glorie and the gain:
I full so]on sought by leude desire,
such honor to obtain.
But wh]at preuaileth it to gain,
or conquer all the earth:
When] bothe the man and what he hath,
is subiect vnto death.
whose name Reporte dooth sou[nd
Through out the World for conquests g[reat
in sundry Regions found.
Whose Rumor raisd by such Report
for his victorious might:
Made Forrains feare of force of Ar[mes
with Cæsar for to fight.
Who rulde but Iulius Cæsar then
who bare the sway but hee
Bothe People stout and Citties fair,
inferiour were to mee.
I got renowme in euery place
17
And got the glorie of the Earth,
for Marsses pollicie.
Huge Castels, Towers and Du[kes
by mee were ouer throwen
None durst the Romains force r[esist
defiance beeing showen.
With Rampiers huge I rased d[own
their cities which were [strong
Bulwarks built of mightie stone
my forces laid along
I tr]encht their Cities round about,
and did them vndermine
I scalde their Fortes and made the men,
in caues them selues to shrine.
My furie death, my fauor life.
vnto the yeelding minde:
The] neighbour Regions round about,
to tribute I did binde.
Of mine] exploits perceiuing then,
the glorie and the gain:
I full so]on sought by leude desire,
such honor to obtain.
But wh]at preuaileth it to gain,
or conquer all the earth:
When] bothe the man and what he hath,
is subiect vnto death.
FINIS.
18
[Ag]ain me thought I plainly heard]
The Argument.
Ag]ain me thought I plainly heard[ho]w Helen did bemone:
Her li]fe and death whose beauty was
inferior vnto none
To m]ee shee breefly made discourse
how Greeks huge Troy did sack:
The Troyans slew and shee her self
therof did feel the wrack.
Whose woful motions when I scand,
it greeued mee to see:
So braue a Dame in Natures gifts
of Vertue void to bee.
And as the Flower whose beautie is,
dride vp with scorching heat
Mee thought the glorie of her gifts,
fel down from Honors seat.
FINIS.
The Gretians Conquest.
When Helen fair by Paris was,conueid to Troy foom Greece:
They warres begun as enuied with,
the losse of such a Peece.
Who beeing fled and kept in Troy,
the Greeks imbassadge sent:
To Troy to fetch their Queen again,
if Troians would consent.
19
their answere thus they made:
That Helen as a guest to Troy
did come, and her denaid.
If Paris did (quoth they) obtain
her fauour by his sute:
The Greeks vnto vs Troyans can,
no cause of wrong impute.
If wee by force of Armes had fetcht
your Helin to our Land:
And seemed when shee was in Greece,
the Gretians to withstand.
To win her thence, as wrongd you might,
to Troy defiance giue:
(But beeing heer) shee shall remain
in Troy while Troyans liue.
What Paris did when hee as Guest,
arriued in your Realm:
Wee haue not for to deal therwith,
yet deem wee it extream
That such defiance should be sent
to vs (Men ignorant)
How Paris did your Helin gain
not mooued by our graunt.
And for your threats wee way them not,
wee Troyans redy are:
As you for her, so wee for him,
shall yeeld our selues to war.
This answere made, the Gretians strait,
made haste vnto their Land:
And told how stout the Troyan did
their message sent withstand.
20
did presently prepare:
And sent them vnto Troy with speed,
the Troyans force to dare.
Long was the warre, great was the fight,
and many People slain:
The Troyans kept their Citie safe
wherby the Greeks in vain
Did think their comming for to be,
and with their whole assent:
Were minded to return to Greece,
when ten yeeres war was spent.
But Pallas bearing spight at Troy,
procurde the Greeks to frame:
A mightie horse, of timber built,
in honor of her name.
Which beeing placed neer the wall,
the armed Greeks did lurck,
Within the horse, til Sinon did,
his craftie practice woork.
The Troyans deeming that the Greeks
had left their war, and gon
To Greece again, the Gates of Troy,
did open thereupon.
And People had delight to walk,
ful ten yeeres kept in holde,
To vieu the place where Greeks erst lay,
their passage to withholde.
And also for to gaze vpon,
the huge and stately frame:
Of timber built, which they had lefte
to Pallas endlesse fame.
21
the Greeks therin did hide:
Nor yet esteeming of the harmes,
therby they should abide.
Although with furious mood,
Laocoon loud did crye:
And wild the Troyans of the Greeks,
the treason to defie.
Atlength with false and subtle showes
of heuie pensiue brest:
His face besprent with brinish teares,
complaning of vnrest.
Comes Sinon foorth in simple sorte,
brought bound vnto the vieu:
Of Troyans all, who blamde the Greeks
as bloody beasts vntrue.
When Greeks (quoth hee) from war were bent
in recompence of praise
To Pallas as an Offering ment,
to end my breathing dayes.
But when I saw their furious rage,
to mee poor wretch forlorne:
I stole from them to saue my life,
which long they held in scorne.
(I fled) at length they did erect,
this mightie frame of wood:
To pallas as a present great,
for sacrifice of blood.
Which if you can by any meanes
conuey into your Town:
As iniur'd with a spiteful wrong
the Greeks in rage will frown.
22
with falling on the ground
Before the King, hee pitie took,
wild him to be vnbound.
On vow he would to him and Troy,
a faithful subiect liue:
Wherto by othes to shroude his craft,
his promise hee did giue.
But lo, ere long his time did serue,
to put his guile in vre:
And opned wide the horses paunch,
when Troyans thought them sure.
From whence there issued armed men,
who gaue them selues to fight:
Burnt vp the houses huge in Troy,
and spoyld them in the night.
The Citie flamde, the People cryde,
amazed from their sleep:
No meanes they had to saue them selues,
their foes their force did keep.
They flung the fire from place to place,
the Troyans they did slea:
Theirs was the conquest then of Troy,
they lookt for ten yeeres day.
The ancient Sires they ouerthrew,
the Matrones they did kil:
Yung men and Maides they forst to death,
And Infants blood did spil.
The sonne before the Fathers face,
bereued was of life:
Great was the slaughter then in Troy,
ere ended was the strife,
23
vnto her wedded mate:
Did lose her life as one deseru'de,
for causing of the hate.
For who but Helin bare the sway,
in Troy while Troy did reign:
And did against the Gretians force,
the Troyans war maintain.
Thus Troy was sackt, the People slain,
which stood and erst did liue:
For Helens sake who moning now
these speeches foorth dooth giue.
Helens Complaint.
See heer by due deserued death,the fall of mine estate:
And learn to shun ambitious pride,
whence riseth deadly hate.
My beautie what preuoileth mee,
or state of Honors seat:
The vain desire of lawlesse lust,
my fal may wel repeat.
A peerlesse Prince of beautie braue,
seduced with desire:
Did yeeld vnto the vain delights,
which fancie did require.
Whome neither loue of princely fere,
nor honors hye degree:
Might mooue to liue within the mean,
of vertuous modestie.
24
of Paris did consent:
To leaue the glorie of my dayes,
ere youthful yeeres were spent.
Whose hainous fact hath been the spoyle,
of many a Troyans life
And Gretians to, since them between,
began the deadly strife.
My self pertaker of their woes,
hath tasted of their fall:
By dint of swoord because I was,
the vrger of their braul.
Loe, thus beholde the fall of sinne,
the ruine and the shame:
Of such as look not in their liues,
to liue in honest fame.
FINIS.
[After the sight and speech of these]
Argument.
After the sight and speech of these,rich Diues did present:
His life his fall and his estate,
with sorrowing teares besprent,
Wherin he did disclose to mee,
how subiect Worldlings liue:
To ruin, as his owne estate,
to vs example giue.
FINIS.
See worldlinges see th'ūtrust of your estate
Beholde the pomp & glory of your time:
Look vpon mee (now dead) who liued late
(As you) on earth inferiour vnto crime,
Delighted with the plesures of my Prime.
And soothed with the follies of my minde:
The due deserts of follies pathes I finde.
Beholde the pomp & glory of your time:
Look vpon mee (now dead) who liued late
25
Delighted with the plesures of my Prime.
And soothed with the follies of my minde:
The due deserts of follies pathes I finde.
No certain state I had to vaunt vpon,
My glorie was compared to the flower:
Vnlooked for my stately strength was gon,
To saue my life it lay not in my power.
Or might prolong the minute of an houre.
Death strook his stroke, I might no lōger liue
Though in my hands I thousandes had to giue.
My glorie was compared to the flower:
Vnlooked for my stately strength was gon,
To saue my life it lay not in my power.
Or might prolong the minute of an houre.
Death strook his stroke, I might no lōger liue
Though in my hands I thousandes had to giue.
The worldly welth which I had leudly got
My careful cōscience makes mee to expres:
To shroude such acts my guilty hart cānot,
In life I vsde the wayes of wickednes,
Would God I had contented been with lesse
And not haue sought by leud desire ye drosse,
Which dayly is inferiour vnto losse.
My careful cōscience makes mee to expres:
To shroude such acts my guilty hart cānot,
In life I vsde the wayes of wickednes,
Would God I had contented been with lesse
And not haue sought by leud desire ye drosse,
Which dayly is inferiour vnto losse.
What booted mee to build vp houses braue,
To purchase landes or keep my goods in store
All are depriu'd my body laid in graue,
The greedy woormes my caren carcase gore
The worm of cōscience prickes me more and more
The hanous sin I vs'd while I did liue:
As due deseru'd a thousand torments giue.
To purchase landes or keep my goods in store
All are depriu'd my body laid in graue,
The greedy woormes my caren carcase gore
The worm of cōscience prickes me more and more
The hanous sin I vs'd while I did liue:
As due deseru'd a thousand torments giue.
Fie on the filthines of greedie gain,
Fie on the subtle sleights of leud desire:
Fie vpon plesure, Nurisher of Pain,
Fie on vntrueth which worldly men require
Fie on ye sin, which mooues our God to ire.
Wo worth ye man whose hart dooth burn wt hate
Twise happy hee content with his estate.
Fie on the subtle sleights of leud desire:
26
Fie on vntrueth which worldly men require
Fie on ye sin, which mooues our God to ire.
Wo worth ye man whose hart dooth burn wt hate
Twise happy hee content with his estate.
I loth'd to hear the needie mans request,
I grudg'd to giue but ioyed to retain:
No godly feare did harbour in my brest,
The Scriptures red I termed speech in vain
Of godly life the state I did disdain
To hourde vp drosse I did decline my minde:
In heaps wherof no certain state wee finde.
I grudg'd to giue but ioyed to retain:
No godly feare did harbour in my brest,
The Scriptures red I termed speech in vain
Of godly life the state I did disdain
To hourde vp drosse I did decline my minde:
In heaps wherof no certain state wee finde.
Diues I am, who scorned Lazarus,
Whose gotten gain of riches did surpasse:
For which misdeed I am tormented thus,
In flāes of fire which neuer quenched was
For worldly men a perfect looking glasse.
Wherby they may perceiue the fall of sin:
And learn in life the ioyes of heauen to win.
Whose gotten gain of riches did surpasse:
For which misdeed I am tormented thus,
In flāes of fire which neuer quenched was
For worldly men a perfect looking glasse.
Wherby they may perceiue the fall of sin:
And learn in life the ioyes of heauen to win.
FINIS.
An Inuectiue against Enuie.
When Enuie in his furious rage,had spitted forth his spight:
Against the falsnes of his speech,
I thought it best to write.
Wherby I might discharge my self,
27
Which in my absence (to my greef)
hee hath put forth at large
But though false Enuie sought by spight,
to blemish my good name:
Yet tryed trueth in tract of Time
shall vtter his defame.
And all the threatning bragging boasts,
which witlesse he hath vsde:
Without controle my tung shall tel,
how vyle he me abus'de.
The freendly speech which he did vse,
attending to deceit:
Til hee had caught me in his snare,
and chokte mee with his bait.
Was so delightful vnto mee,
in following of his train:
That all the warnings Reson vsde,
I deemed woords in vain.
But yeelding vnto his request,
I see I did consent:
Vnto the ruin of my self,
wherto his minde was bent.
For as the blinded sloeworme dooth,
in darcknes shine like Golde:
So his false woords (I witlesse) thought,
that only trueth they tolde.
But as the day light dooth withdrawe,
the slowwormes glistring hue:
So trueth dooth manifest to mee,
his deeds and woords vntrue.
28
returns from whence they flowe:
The woords of Enuie shall not speed,
when Trueth pronounceth (no.)
FINIS.
Thomas Procter.
Nil tam dificile quod non solertia vincat.
| The trivmph of trueth | |