University of Virginia Library

A Dreame.

Layd in my quiet bed to rest,
When sleepe my senses all had drownd:
Such dreames arose within my breast,
As did with feare my minde confound.
Mee thought I wandred in a wood,
Which was as darke, as pitte of hell:
In midst whereof such waters stoode,
That where to passe, I could not tell.
The Lion, Tiger, Woolfe, and Beare,
There thundered forth such hideous cries:
As made huge Eccoes in the ayre,
And seemed almost to pearce the skies.
Long vext with care I there aboad,
And to get forth I wanted power:
At euery footesteppe that I troad,
I feard some beast would mee deuoure.
Abyding thus perplext with paine,
This case within my selfe I scand,
That humaine helpe was all in vaine,
Unlesse the Lord with vs doe stand.
Then falling flatte vpon my face,
In humble sorte to God I prayde:
That in this darke and dreadfull place,
Hee would vouchsafe to bee mine ayde.
Arising then a wight with winges,
Of auncient yeeres mee thinkes I see:
A burning torch in hand hee bringes,
And thus beganne to speake to mee.
That God, whose ayde thou didst implore,
Hath sent mee hither for thy sake:
Plucke vp thy sprites, lament no more,
With mee thou must thy iourney take.
Against a huge and loftie hill,
With swiftest pace mee thinkes wee goe:
Where such a sound mine eares did fill,
As moued my heart to bleede for woe.
Mee thought I heard a woefull wight,
In dolefull sorte powre forth great plaintes:
Whose cries did so my minde afright,
That euen with feare ech member faintes.
Fie (quoth my guyd) what meanes this change,
Passe on a pace with courage bolde,
Hereby doth stand a prison strange,
Where woonderous thinges thou maist beholde,
Then came we to a fort of brasse,
Where peering through greate iron grates,
We saw a woman sit alas,
Which ruthfully bewaylde her fates.
Her face was farre more white then snow,
And on her head a crowne shee ware,
Beset with stones that glistered so,
As hundred torches had bene there.
Her song was woe, and weale away,
What torments here doe I sustayne?
A new mishap did her dismay,
Which more and more increast her payne,
An vggly creature all in blacke,
Ran to her seate, and flang her downe,
Who rent her garments from her backe,
And spoyld her of her precious crowne.
This crowne he plaste vpon his hed,
And leauing her in dolefull case,
With swiftest pace away he fled:
And darknesse came in all the place.
But then to heare the wofull moue,
And piteous grones that she foorth sent,
He had no doubt, a heart of stone,
That could geue eare and not lament,
Then (quoth my guide) note well my talke.
And thou shalt heare this dreame declard:
The wood in which thou first didst walke,
Unto the world may be comparde.
The roaring beasts plainly expresse,
The sundry snares in which we fall,
This Gaole is named deepe distresse,
In which Dame vertue lies as thrall,
Shee is the wight which heere within,
So dolefully doth houle and crie,
Her foe is called deadly sinne,
That proffered her this villany.
My name is Time, whom God hath sent,
To warne thee of thy soules decay,
In time therefore thy sinnes lament,
Least time from thee be tane away.
As soone as he these wordes had sayd,
With swiftest pace away he flies,
And I hereat was so afrayde,
That drowsie sleepe forsooke mine eyes.