 | "Songes and Sonettes written by the ryght honorable
Lorde Henry Haward late Earle of Surrey, and other" |  |
The auncient time commended
Prayse of measure-kepyng.
The auncient time commended, not for nought,The mean: what better thing can ther be sought?
In mean, is vertue placed: on either side,
Bothe right, and left, amisse a man shall slide.
Icar, with sire hadst thou the mid way flown,
Icarian beck by name had no man known.
If middle path kept had proud Phaeton,
No burning brand this erth had falln vpon.
Ne cruell powr, ne none to soft can raign:
That keeps a mean, thesame shall styll remain.
Thee, Iulie, once did toomuch mercy spill:
Thee, Nero stern, rigor extreem did kill.
How could August so many yeres well passe?
Nor onermeek, nor ouerferse he was.
Worship not Ioue with curious fansies vain,
Nor him despise: hold right atween these twayn.
O1r
No wastefull wight, no greedy goom is prayzd.
Stands largesse iust, in egall balance payzd.
So Catoes meal surmountes Antonius chere,
And better fame his sober fare hath here.
To slender buildyng, bad: as bad, to grosse:
One, an eyesore, the tother falls to losse.
As medcines help, in measure: so (God wot)
By ouermuch, the sick their bane haue got.
Vnmeet mee seems to vtter this, mo wayes:
Measure forbids vnmeasurable prayse.
| "Songes and Sonettes written by the ryght honorable
Lorde Henry Haward late Earle of Surrey, and other" | |