 | The Riddles of Heraclitus and Democritus |  |
59
[To th' earth from highest heauen]
To
th' earth from highest heauen,
Foure virgins were descended,
Sent downe from him that vnto men
All goodnesse hath intended.
Foure virgins were descended,
Sent downe from him that vnto men
All goodnesse hath intended.
And here they staide a while,
And many things amended,
But they were forced backe by those,
That should haue them defended.
And many things amended,
But they were forced backe by those,
That should haue them defended.
Since then the golden age,
The happie daies were ended,
And vice hath raigned most in them,
That vertue most pretended.
The happie daies were ended,
And vice hath raigned most in them,
That vertue most pretended.
Amitie, peace, iustice and shamefastnes, are gifts and great blessings of God. Of which the two first (as I haue red) a great while since, were chased from earth by princes: the third by lawyers, and the fourth by women. I had the substance of this riddle from Italie. Let it therefore tax and reprehend, roitelets, dukes and potentates, for their diuisions: aduocates for their iniustice: and women for their impudence, onely in Italie. We hold it in England, that a shamelesse woman, wanteth the properest ornament of her sex.
| The Riddles of Heraclitus and Democritus | |