Divine poems Containing The History of Ionah. Ester. Iob. Sampson. Sions Sonets. Elegies. Written and newly augmented, by Fra: Quarles |
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 | Divine poems |  |
Medita. 13.
There's nothing under heaven more glorifies
The name of King, or in a subjects eyes
Winnes more observance, or true loyalty,
Than sacred Iustice, shared equally:
No greater glory can belong to Might,
Than to defend the feeble in their right;
To helpe the helplesse and their wrongs redresse;
To curbe the haughty-hearted, and suppresse
The proud; requiting ev'ry speciall deed
With punishment, or honourable meed:
Herein Kings aptly may deserve the name
Of gods, enshrined in an earthly frame;
Nor can they any way approach more nye
The full perfection of a Deity,
Than by true Iustice, imitating heaven
In nothing more, than in the poizing eaven
Their righteous ballance: Iustice is not blinde,
As Poets feigne; but, with a sight refin'd,
Her Lyncian eyes are clear'd, and shine as bright
As doe their errours, that denie her sight;
The soule of Iustice resteth in her eye,
Her contemplation's chiefly to descry
True worth, from painted showes; and loyalty,
From false, and deepe-dissembled trechery;
A noble Statesman, from a Parasite;
And good, from what is meerely good in sight:
Such hidden things her piercing eye can see:
If Iustice then be blinde, how blinde are we!
The name of King, or in a subjects eyes
Winnes more observance, or true loyalty,
Than sacred Iustice, shared equally:
No greater glory can belong to Might,
Than to defend the feeble in their right;
To helpe the helplesse and their wrongs redresse;
To curbe the haughty-hearted, and suppresse
The proud; requiting ev'ry speciall deed
With punishment, or honourable meed:
Herein Kings aptly may deserve the name
Of gods, enshrined in an earthly frame;
Nor can they any way approach more nye
The full perfection of a Deity,
Than by true Iustice, imitating heaven
In nothing more, than in the poizing eaven
Their righteous ballance: Iustice is not blinde,
As Poets feigne; but, with a sight refin'd,
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As doe their errours, that denie her sight;
The soule of Iustice resteth in her eye,
Her contemplation's chiefly to descry
True worth, from painted showes; and loyalty,
From false, and deepe-dissembled trechery;
A noble Statesman, from a Parasite;
And good, from what is meerely good in sight:
Such hidden things her piercing eye can see:
If Iustice then be blinde, how blinde are we!
Right fondly have the Poets pleas'd to say,
From earth the faire Astræa's fled away,
And in the shining Baudrike takes her seat,
To make the number of the Signes compleat:
From earth the faire Astræa's fled away,
And in the shining Baudrike takes her seat,
To make the number of the Signes compleat:
For why? Astræa doth repose and rest
Within the Zodiake of my Sov'raignes brest,
And from the Cradle of his infancy
Hath train'd his Royall heart with industry,
In depth of righteous lore, and sacred thewes
Of Iustice Schoole; that this my Haggard Muse
Cannot containe the freenesse of her spright,
But make a Mounty at so faire a flight,
(Perchance) though (like a bastard Eagle daz'd
With too great light) she winke, and fall amaz'd:
Within the Zodiake of my Sov'raignes brest,
And from the Cradle of his infancy
Hath train'd his Royall heart with industry,
In depth of righteous lore, and sacred thewes
Of Iustice Schoole; that this my Haggard Muse
Cannot containe the freenesse of her spright,
But make a Mounty at so faire a flight,
(Perchance) though (like a bastard Eagle daz'd
With too great light) she winke, and fall amaz'd:
Heav'n make my heart more thankfull, in confessing
So high a blisse, than skilfull, in expressing.
So high a blisse, than skilfull, in expressing.
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