The Castell of Courtesie Whereunto is adioyned The Holde of Humilitie: With the Chariot of Chastitie thereunto annexed. Also a Dialogue betweene Age and Youth, and other matters herein conteined. By Iames Yates |
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A praise of Constancie
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 | The Castell of Courtesie |  |
A praise of Constancie
The constant wight which doth possesse,that heauenly gift so rare:
Is happie sure and blest of God,
to haue it to his share.
For constancie is such a gift,
as doth surmount the rest:
And much commended for the kinde,
of rarenesse in the brest.
To haue a fickle minde you know,
it maketh oft Debate:
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which Constancie doth hate.
Wherefore I count him happie sure,
that doth that gift imbrace:
He is much bound to thanke the Lord,
for that his happie case.
For Constancie is such a gift,
as sure it doth excell:
All Ryotouse trickes and wanton toyes
Constancie doth expell.
For why such braggers as do runne.
vpon their giddie will:
Are in the end suffyc'd with paine,
and haue on it their fill.
And paraduenture wish they would,
their minde had Constant beene:
And not so rashly for to raunge,
in their deuises thinne.
For Rashnesse doth no whit preuaile,
when raging windes do blowe:
The safest way to guyde thy shippe,
is saile to beare a lowe.
Experience tells and makes a proofe
you see the sillie snaile:
By stealing steppes will get alofte,
and doth to toppe preuaile.
When Rashnesse lyeth vnder foote,
and cryeth O my bones:
And doth repent him of his hast,
with gryping greuouse grones.
I may well say if that he had,
with Constancie him prest:
Then Rashnesse had not caus'd his hurt,
to breede his greate vnrest.
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but giddinesse of braine:
And misseth staying of his side
and furthers foorth his paine:
And heapeth more mishaps on head
then pleasures doe abounde:
That getteth giddie braines (I say)
by Rashnesse so vnsounde.
To be a Constant friend is rare:
a Constant louer true,
Deserueth praise amonge the best
and worthie is in viewe.
In euery thing to vse this Dame
me thinkes is passing sure:
And those that doe not her inuest
haue not a life so pure,
As I would wish (of God) they had
or eke I had myselfe:
For trust me true, the vaine of it
cannot be bought with pelfe.
But God must be the giuer (he)
of such a gifte so hye:
As passeth captious head of man,
in heauens it doth lye.
And when with earnest zeale we pray,
God doth vs not reiect:
But bendes his heauenly eares to heare,
and hath of vs respect.
Oh heauenly wightes that doe imbrace
this heauenly gifte alway:
No Rash aduice doth passe your handes,
all Ilnesse you doe stay.
But with a mild and modest minde
you foster euery doubt:
And take those chaunces well in worth
which time doth bring about.
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or what can please you more?
But for to wish and haue at will,
where plentie is in store.
This plenteous place, that I doe meane,
is vp aboue in skie:
It restes in seate inuisible,
yea frustrate from the eye.
Yet not so harde for to attaine
if deedes according be:
A life well led in Godly feare,
doth winne that place we see.
If Anchor hold, and Cable strong,
be fastned on with faith:
That Hould shall not relent the Hould,
as holy Scripture saith.
Wherefore if Constancie be placd
within thy brest so pure:
Giue laude to God whose heauenlie giftes
for euer shall indure.
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