THE LABYRINTH OF MAN'S LIFE.  
OR virtues DELIGHT AND Envies opposite.  
By IO: NORDEN.  Virtus abunde sui est pr●mium, quicumque sequ●tur eventus. 
Printed at London, for john ●udge, and are to be sold at the great South door of Paul's▪ and at Britain's ●u●sse, 16●4.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR ROBERT CARR Knight, Baron of Branspeth, Vicecount Rochester, Earl of Somerset, of his majesties most honourable privy Counsel, Knight of the most noble order of the Garter; And Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.  
Most Honourable Lord,  
I Have been long balanced between Desire, and Fear: The first inclining unto: The second swaying me from, the publishing of these unworthy lines: especially under so honourable a Name. But the first being a passion, in counterpoysible prevailed. Only Fear remaineth, lest your high prudence, and admired gravity, should disesteem the gracing of seeming Le●tlie. Because many frivolus Poems, are daily begotten and brought forth, worthy to be abandoned. Yet many worthy subjects have been handled in verse, much graced and embraced of the wise. And howsoever these silly lines, may seem unworthy the hand, or eye, of so worthy a Patron, there is use in some of them, to be made by men of whatsoever condition: If it be but to the chase a-away of that common enemy Idleness; And to prevent thoughts less beseeming minds inclinable to virtue. For, where virtue is a stranger, vice is a daily guest. 〈…〉 tue, the M●ther, 〈◊〉, and guide to most solid content: Containing the Appetite, ever within the circle of Sobriety. Observing that the more Concupiscence is satisfied, and fed, the more irregularly it runs, from one voluptuous experiment to another; never satisfied with the admired varieties, of abhorred vanities. Men enter this life, as into a Labyrinth, or fatal Desert of changes, and miseries. And none escapeth the encounter of those hideous Minotaures, Vice, or Envy, whose dangers are as Silla, and Charybdis, by shunning the first, he falls into the second. Democritus laughed to see the folly of men: But much more might Heraclitus weep to observe the miseries, whereinto they are subject to fall by Vice, or Enuy. Only that Divine Ariadne (virtue) giveth unto every prudent Theseus, the line of Right Reason, to conduct him, through all the ambiguous Angles, and crooked turnings of this life's Labyrinth, wherein Vice and Envy, couch to snare & surprise the wisest. Common experience the Mother of best understanding revealeth this, as in the glass of the risings and fall, of men, which I have endeavoured, in some weak measure, in these simple Elegies to dilate: not to teach, but to put men in mind, of the uncertainty of all estates in this mortality, wherein there is neither safety, or content, without adhering to Virtue, whose companion is Envy, which ever followeth, but never faileth the virtuous. Sola virtus invicta.  
Most bond unto your Honour, IO: NORDEN.   

The Author's farewell to his Book.  

THou silly Orphan of my dulled brain,  
I send thee forth, in basest Country tire:  
Lest falling in, to that high Courtly ●raine,  
Shouldst be envied if thou wert clothed higher,  
So were my cost bestowed in vain.   

Therefore where so thou shalt be entertained  
Give what content may best befit thy place:  
And tell thy Readers forc'dly wert constrained,  
To leave thy Sire, and seek some vulgar grace●  
Which by desert may be obtained.   

And as thou mayst fly self-conceited wits,  
Though they pretend experience:  
The meanest apprehension best befits,  
Thy Country-breeding wanting Eloquen●●.  
Digest it well, whatsere hits.   

If any tax thee with too base a style,  
And say thy verse, is but a ragged Rhyme:  
Entreat those Eloquents to use their file,  
To burnish thee from that suggested crime,  
So shalt thou seem A new compile.   

Some will content to hear thee speak so plain,  
That long to learn, and be not superfine:  
First will them read, if cause be to complain,  
If matter nor the meeter please their eyen,  
Be not dismayed, come home again.   

And leave this errand with the Curious,  
Who seem to 〈◊〉 things most intricate.  
The ●●aker, willing, though less Coyous,  
Search, and conceive, what Readins intimate,  
Else R●●●ing were superfluous,   

And tell the Captious thou art not ignorant,  
Of higher Poems and Invention:  
But that thou dred'st to be deemed arrogant,  
Exceeding measure of Intention,  
So censured too extravagant.   

Chawcer▪ Gowre, the bishop of dunkell,  
In ages far remote were eloquent:  
Now S●d●ey, Spencer, others more excel,  
And are in latter times more excellent,  
To antic Lauriats' parallel.   

But matters of great admiration,  
In modern Poes●es are words estranged  
Invention of hid speculation,  
The scope whereof hardly conceived as it is ranged  
But by a Comentation.   

Who readeth Chaucer as a modern man,  
Not looking back into the time he wrote,  
Will hardly his ambiguous phrases scan,  
Which in that time were vulgar, well I wot,  
Yet we run back where he began.   

And all our praised Poems art beset,  
With Chaucer's words and Phrases ancient:  
Which these our modern ages quite forget  
Yet in their Poems, far more Eloquent,  
Not yet from Gowre or Chaucer fett.   

Why should it not befit our Poets well,  
To use the words and Phrases Uulgar know?  
Why should d they rouse them from oblivions cel  
Sith their ambiguous terms from whence they flow  
The learned'st Reader scant can tell.   

But things illustrated with art and sense,  
As Chaucer did his Troilus and Creside:  
To amplified aptly with Eloquence,  
Base matter by good Verse is beautifi'de,  
And gains admired Reverence.   

Not using words and Phrases all so dark,  
But so familiarly as vulgar may,  
Well apprehend the Poets couched mark,  
And see th' Idea which he doth display:  
About the Centre in his Ark.   

This will excuse thee to the friendly wise,  
But not perhaps unto the Captious:  
Be silent yet, know, nothing fructefies  
In fattest wit, if will be scurrilous,  
Wit wilful, will will tyrranise.   

But for more hoped comfort and content,  
Keep on thy way, first to that worthy wight:  
To whose protecting favour I thee sent,  
He either will accept thee, basely dight,  
Or send thee back incontinent.   

And thus I leave thee to thy fortune's lot,  
As other Orphans left deprived of friends:  
If he affect thee, though some other not,  
Though some do rob thee, and some make amends  
It is enough that thou hast got.    

To his dear friend Master John Norden upon his Labyrinth of Man's life. R. N.  
Encomium.  

NOt Egypt's old laborious Labyrint,  
Turning, returning, winding in and out,  
Which whosoever once did enter in't  
Ever to issue stood in deepest doubt,   

Nor the Daedalian Labyrinth of Crete  
Wherein King Minos shut, the Minotaur,  
Nor which Porsenna ' in Italy did complete,  
Nor that in Lemnos Isle, of stone hewed square,  
Nor which King Henry-fit● Empress did found  
At Woodstock, for his beauteous Concubine,  
That famous and renowned Rosamond,  
Can be compared with this work so divine,  
That Norden here (with his Practice p●nsife)  
Reveals in this his Labyrinth of man's life.   
Non luco, subter Rosis.   

Amico suo I. N.  

THe labour of this Labyrinth I find,  
A perfect mirror of an honest mind:  
Who having truly trod this worldly maze,  
Hath left the wonder for the world to gaze,  
Where judgements care, doth by description prove,  
Which is the chiefest, Earth's or heavens Love:  
A work of worth, and worthy good Regard,  
The pains well weighed, well worthy like Reward.   
N. B.   

To the Author of the Labyrinth of Man's life.  

WHile vulgar heads are stilling Venus' Rose,  
NORDEN thy alembic drops the purest balm:  
Thy Nectar to the Pensive shed in Prose,  
With this thy Mummy mingled for each qualm,  
Shall give thee life: and dying, Love revive,  
While Love, or Life, on earth remains alive.   
R. J.   

THE ARGUMENT.  

THe man that in the Cell of silence fits,  
Imports content, in his distasteful fits,  
The Labyrinth, the world's inconstancy,  
The passionate Desert doth signify.   

True virtue doth the Lady represent,  
The hag foul Envy, always malcontent:  
Who what the Lady, frames and rectifies,  
She in despite, enchants, and vilifies.   

Wherein the Author's purpose is to show,  
envies assault, And Virtues counterblow:  
How Envy shows her most obsequious,  
When she would cirumvent the Virtuous.    

THE LABYRINTH OF MAN'S LIFE.  

CAn man oppressed, though silent, rest content?  
Can grief grow great, and can the heart consent?  
tween mirth and mourning can true concord be?  
Can fire and flax consorted well, agree?  
Can seeming grace that is not grace in deed,  
Relieve the heart, it wounds, and yields no meed,  
Hope, fed with fawns, is like a withering tree,  
That's dead at heart, yet seems alive to be.  
That Hope that hath nought but fair words to feed it,  
Is crushed by him (in show) that seems to breed it.  
Despair at helm, how can Assurance sail,  
Assurance tossed, wit's card and compass fail.  
What then can bring hopes hovering bark to rest,  
That's forced to float in sea of raging breast?  
Only sad silence, in a secret cell,  
Where only patience and contentment dwell.  
This Cell is happiness, to them it find  
More precious far, than gold unto the mind.  
By sea and land to find it some men run,  
As near at last, as when their race begun.  
The place, the thing, the way they seek amiss,  
Fond Fancy knows not, what Contentment is.  
Men run they know not where, seek know not what,  
Find not Content: not to be wondered at.  
For wit, nor art, nor policy can find,  
That true content, that cures sad grief of mind.  
Who doth suppress and bridle Appetite,  
Hath best content,▪ if not an hypocrite.  
Appetite implied all affections,  
Mou●d as the heart, gives her directions. 
The fruit● of Lust.   
As when the heart, is ouergorged with Lust,  
It vomits forth, gross humours, things unjust.  
Anger, Revenge, Envy, wrath, and Hate,  
Fruits only growing, on the desperate:  
The desperate cannot true patience have,  
They kill content, which they would seem to crave.  
The daughters of joy-prived Acheron  
Allecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone.  
Hell's furies, got on darkest shade of night,  
Feed with despair, their vassals void of light.  
Deprived of light, men live, they love, they hate,  
Abhor, affect, disdain, are passionate.  
Never content, content (in show) they grieve,  
Fawning, they frown. And seeming dead they live.  
Seeming alive, are in heart, dead in deed,  
They seem to see, and seeing take not heed.  
But grudge to see, another's good content,  
That still as like, in good and ill event. 
Content.   
Not moved to mirth, when fawning fortune shines,  
Nor fears her storms, when her fair faun decline●▪   

For, in my Cell I found a pilot fit,  
That steres the bark, where I contented sit,  
Twixt S●l●a, and Charybdis' gulfs offeare,  
I safely sail conducted by her steer.  
Oft bearing near, where sweet sirens sing,  
Sometimes where furies have their habiting,  
sirens here, the furies there, me hail,  
Divinely steered, twixt both along I sail.  
Yet oft the tempests of sad crosses rage,  
Then take I harbour, in port Good courage:  
Casting Hope-anker, on soil sapience  
Floating secure, in hull true sapience.  
Aloof a little from Cape fickleness,  
Where oft I hear sad songs of heaviness.  
Silent I sat in cabin of desire,  
The storm passed over, we hoist and retire.  
And on the bank desert, I did descry,  
One cast ashore, through wrack of penury.  
And as we passed him by, he thus relates,  
The doubtful Labyrinth of all estates.   


IF th'earth were brass, my tongue a graving pen,  
I would therein grave fickle states of men  
That rise and fall, that change and alter oft,  
From basest clown to Keysar set aloft.  
Related words are only wind, and die,  
Letters, transfer them to posterity. 
Man's inconstant state.   
My subject sad is man's inconstant lot,  
That is to day what yesterday, 'twas not.  
No state stands long, but riseth or it falls,  
And best resembles tossed tennis balls.  
Now stricken high, than lights, and then rebounds,  
One now is low, then raised, then redounds.   

Most strange vicissitudes, of states I see,  
Yet not, who happy, or unhappy be. 
Outward seeming deceitful.   
Though present wealth or want, seem grace or grief,  
Few know what hurts, or truly gives relief.  
For, as earths creatures live by contraries,  
So, seeming good, or ill, are fallacies:  
Beginnings good, oft end with ill success,  
Ill seeming ends, may bring most happiness.  
Man, of all creatures that subsede the sky,  
Only partakes, none else eternity.  
Guided by Reason hath the use of Arts,  
Of tongues and of divinest inward parts,  
None else hath yet so strange varieties,  
Of good and ill, of mirth and miseries.   

Who notes how man begins, per●ists and ends,  
May see strange chances on which life depends,  
From birth to youth, from youth to man's estate,  
He grows unlike and still degenerate.   

As years increase, so altars life and lust,  
The body, mind, affection, fear and trust:  
Man learns, forgets, he loves, dislikes and lives,  
As weakness, power, as wit, or folly gives:   

The heart the fountain of the vital spring,  
distills the blood that nurseth fancying▪  
For, though men's souls seem reasonable all,  
All men show not, their souls celestial.  
As are men's humours and complexions,  
By nature so are inclinations:  
Where art or grace guide not, there Nature sways,  
But where they rule, there Nature's force decays:  
Yet Nature hath a power commanding strong,  
Though art, or grace, have some command among.  
As Art helps Nature, so experience tries,  
Where in best arts the most perfection lies:  
Hardly can art make strait a crooked mind,  
Nor make him see whom Nature brought forth blind  
As fire in flax, cannot be long concealed,  
At length so Nature is though hid revealed:   

Melancholy, the mother of best arts,  
Hath greatest power, (grace absent) in men's hearts,  
All humours strong or much defective breed,  
Both good and bad, fruitful or fruitless seed,  
Mirth, grief, sloth, diligence, superbity,  
Fear, Envy, Folly, sweet tranquillity,  
B'instinct of nature, bred and brought to light,  
Do show that humours have commanding might:  
Some are opinative, gracious, pitiful,  
Envious, loving, feeble, strong▪ fearful,  
Sober, light, foolish, wise, true, false, liars,  
Quarlous, deceivers, of unclean desires.  
Strangely affected, all men stand and be,  
As humours have mean, or extreme degree.  
By grace some curb ill disposition,  
By discipline and education.   

Complexions principal in all but four,  
Their branches infinite, distinct in power:  
Some attribute men's dispositions,  
To Stars aspects and Constellations,  
That are predominant, at time of birth,  
Thence to proceed hearts heaviness or mirth.  
Some to the clime, where men are borne, and live,  
Some to the tribe, whence men descend, it give.  
Some to the feebleness or force of seed,  
Some to the Nurse and food whereon men feed,  
These much prevail: not yet of force chief cause,  
Why men resist, or hold diviner laws.  
An inward cause there is that works the will,  
As light or dark gives motives good, or ill.   

Two ruling powers are of distinct effects,  
men's minds are led, as each of these directs:  
Of love divine th'one, th'other of set hate,  
As these prevail, men's actions perpetrate.  
Betwixt these powers is always enmity,  
The good confirmed by contrariety,  
For, if there were no feeling fight within,  
Law needed not to make a sin a sin.   

Nature the mother of all earthly things,  
Creates, preserves, by due contrarying, 
Concord of contraries.   
Without a discord can no concord be,  
Concord is when contrary things agree:  
But these two contraries that guide the mind,  
Are so disjunct can never be combined:  
As good and ill, as right and wrong cannot,  
Be in one subject, as may cold and hot:  
So heaven and hell, and what partakes their might,  
Can never be in one without a fight,  
Though things repugnant may have unity  
And seem as one and of one quality;  
Though Natures, simples may in one combine,  
And one to others quality incline,  
Yet one too strong breeds such dissension,  
As Nature hardly works reunion.  
Nature by art may imitated be,  
And contraries by art be made agree:  
Of colours mixed, merely contraries,  
She moldes and makes most pleasing decencies,  
The eye beholds the mixtures with delight,  
If they have beauty, and be exquisite,  
But if the grounds, as white, or black, or blue,  
Exceed too much, it mars the mixed hue.  
Drugs far unlike, in hot, cold, moist and dry,  
Are brought by art to true Congruity:  
Music, the medicine of heavy hearts,  
Makes concord, only of discording parts,  
As high and low, as longs and shortes agree,  
So harsh, or sweet, is music found to be.  
No contraries appear in perfect kind,  
But seen together, or by art combined,  
Unlike to these are inward qualities,  
The heart endureth not her contraries:  
But as to good or ill it stands affected,  
It harbours one, the other is rejected.  
Virtue, and vice, are merely contraries, 
Virtue and Vice.   
And each is foe, to others qualities.  
And neither Art, nor Nature, can bring those,  
At one; they are, and will be, mortal foes.  
Vice, seeks to blemish minds best qualified,  
Never prevails in persons rectified:  
Where Virtue lives, there Vice doth seldom die:  
Vice lives below, virtue aspireth high.  
Virtue in earth, is merely perigrin  
In heaven a naturalised Citizen.  
Who so is led, by that celestial guide,  
Confronts all Vice, strong, truly fortified.  
Of inward heart, and not of outward weed,  
Do all effects of good, and ill, proceed.  
But what is good, that Envy doth despise 
E●●●.   
Foe to true virtue, friend to vanities.   

What can best wit, what can deep'st wisdom choose  
Or best perform but Envy will abuse?  
No public place, no person of estate,  
Whom hateful Envy will not emulate.  
Then I, of lowest rank, can I be free,  
If Envy heave at highest in degree?  
I will digest, foul envies cup of spite,  
Sith they taste most, that are most exquisite:  
Fowl Envy aims to hit the innocent,  
And wounds herself, she's so malevolent:  
She waxeth lean, seeing another fat,  
She kicks at others, she not spurned at.   

Long have I trod, this Labyrinth with care,  
Yet know I not in it what curuing are:  
The ways and turnings are ●'ambiguous,  
They make me doubtful and infatuous.  
But who so treads it, with best skill throughout,  
Walks not so wisely, but finds ways of doubt, 
〈…〉    

Two guides are in this maze, most principal,  
As are the ways, two in the general,  
The branches infinite of either be;  
All doubtful, though the entries plain men see.  
They guide the passengers in either way,  
The first aright, the second, leads astray.  
The first yet narrow, slippie, full of let,  
The second fair, broad, full of pleasures set;  
The first seems base, most ignominious,  
The second pleasant, and tres-glorious.  
But whether so or merely contrary,  
Success declares, not wit, or policy;  
A hidden mystery, unseen there lies,  
Within this Labyrinth of Destinies.  
Wherein scarce two estates, stand equalized  
More one then other, hurt, or benefizd.  
As many men, so many earths estates,  
From basest beggar to great'st potentates.  
Some sing, some sigh; some laugh and some lament,  
Some fast, some feast, some murmur, some content,  
Some fawn, some frown, some act and some admire;  
Some hope, some fear, some run, and some retire.  
Some graced, some grieved▪ some wrong, & some complain  
Some get, some lose, some take, some give, and gain,  
Some rise, some fall, some stand, some feed, some pine,  
Some heaved aloft, some lofty ones decline.  
Some sail with tide, some swim 'gainst wind and tide,  
Some float, some sink, some run and never slide,  
Some sleeping get, for fruitless gain some wake,  
Some all men grace, some causeless all forsake.  
Some neitlie tired (sots) held of high desert,  
Some basely clad (deserving) held in erte.  
Some boasting, break into the worlds admire,  
Some meek, though worthy, seldom raised hire;  
Some frowned on in fine regain regard,  
Some fawned, fail of their vain hopes reward.  
Some living ill, stand yet in wished grace.  
Some well yet live but in penurious case,  
Some cruel, tyger-like, some temperate.  
Some mild, some mad, some kind, some obstinate,  
Some haughty proud, some of an humble mind,  
Some loving, hateful buxsum, some unkind:  
Luxurious some, lustful, some continent,  
Perfidious some, faithful, some insolent,   

Thus yields this labyrinth, wherein men live  
It gives some joy, and some it makes to grieve.  
A thousand thousand, strange varieties  
Of outward mirth, and inward miseries,  
It yields to men: yet none true judgement have,  
To shape their wills, to his who first them gave.  
But feed on vapours of a strange content,  
That vanish quite, as soon as they have vent.  
On humane promise, that is made, and dies:  
Clip'st as the Sun, by blackesse clouds, that rise,  
Who thinks all promises will come to pass,  
Makes fair, foul fancy, with a flattering glass,  
Fancies far fetch't, do feed a feeble heart;  
They cure, or comfort, by dissembling art.  
As he that's placed in highest rank conceives,  
Him most secure, yet fancy, oft deceives:   

The Bramble, and the Cedar, neighbours be,  
And far the stronger is the Cedar tree;  
The Bramble bends, breaks not, when tempests rise:  
" That soon falls, that is of greatest size,   

Under the Cedar, on a mountain set;  
The lower trees, and shrubs, there shelter get:  
But when the tempest, tumbles down the tree,  
They bend or break, that vnder-sheltered be,  
Her stature tall, her massy body tears,  
And breaks the branches, which the body bears.  
And underlings, which Cedars shelter have,  
Do bow, or bruise, or others shelters crave.  
High Cedar falling, hath no means of stay,  
His fall affrights, and makes whole woods dismay;  
The mountain whereon Cedar firmly stands,  
And woods, when Cedars flourish clap their hands.   

Some from their birth, left in this maze forlorn,  
As fruits abortive, and untimely borne,  
And he that looks into Time's glass of steel,  
Shall see all states, in earth, as on a wheel  
That turns them all about inconstantly,  
Aloft, and low, with much uncertainty.  
Glory, and Baseness, are the boundaries  
Of all estates: all but two contraries. 
Glory and Baseness.   
Between them both there is a limit set  
And either mean, doth her extremes beget.  
And he that from the basest riseth high,  
In self-conceit hath most felicity.  
But he, whom Fortune hath advanced most, 
〈…〉.   
And not true Virtue, hath no cause to boast:  
There's no estate, which Virtue founded not,  
That hath a certain, or contented lot.  
Fortune, is constant, in unconstancy,  
Most churlish in her seeming clemency:  
For, what she gives to day, too morrow takes,  
She comes, and goes, she follows, and forsakes:  
As clouds, and clearness, eclipse and clear the Sun,  
By Fortune so, are men made, and undone.   

The vulgar hearts, eyes, senses, all  
In thought, in ●ight, in judgement partial.  
They judge unequally, of this earth's lots  
The great, earth's ornaments, the base, her spots,  
Earth's highest portions, seem true pawns of grace,  
Graceful allotments, have no seem base:  
But in these mysteries hid matter lies  
Which none can see, with his own nature's eyes,  
Therefore I leave it, ●o event▪ And smile;  
At envies weakness, and her strong revile. 
envies ●●a●te●ers.   
Partial she fawns, and flatters high estate,  
And (false) suggesteth, mean, unfortunate.  
Fortune, and Envy, are two secret foes 
Fortune and Enuy.   
And neither doth her purposes disclose.  
For, whom, and when, they seek to smite they smile:  
And still conceal, the substance of their wile.  
Where Fortune favours, there doth Envy hate,  
Between them both, there is no sure estate.  
But where true virtues Heroickes, do stand  
Constant, th'encounter these foes, hand, to hand.  
But Fortune, taken, in diviner sense  
Is not a foe, but nurse of patience:  
It is that power that swayeth all estates  
And loves them best, that most she verberates.   

Therefore the causes of men's want and weal,  
This power Divine, daignes not them to reveal,  
But lets th' ambitious, holds them only blest  
That win earth's happiness; and lose the rest.  
No art or eloquence, no fear or love,  
Can from earth's love, their blinded hearts remove:  
Opinion strong, rejecteth Reason's skill,  
Feeds foolish Fancy, and perverts the will.   

A face most ugly, may in self-conceit  
Seem fair, welfauored, amiable, neyt,  
But when he sees it, in a perfect glass,  
He checks conceit, misdeeming what it was.  
So they that think nought good, but this earth's might,  
Live yet in dark, not having inward light:  
Though this high power do freely it bestow,  
Yet for what cause the wisest do not know:  
For, Fortune gives but things of outward use,  
She gives and takes, for fear frames no excuse,  
But he that sees and swayeth all events,  
Heaves sometimes up, some graceless malcontents.  
And who foresees when he is lifted high,  
What future peril may succeed thereby,  
None see the issue of a thing begun,  
Nor how success of good or ill may run,  
False, fond, and rash, are human arguments,  
Of high or low, conceyled are all events,  
Sometimes best seem worse then base hit,  
Which none foresees, not one preventeth it,  
The power divine, oft turns an ill to best,  
And best supposed of best oft dispossessed.   

High powers permit a wicked man to rise,  
And by usurped greatness tyrranise:  
But it's observed, he hath not long to stand,  
In his false greatness, but the self same hand  
That heaved him up, so one hurls him down again,  
That nought regards, fair fawns, or deep disdain.  
And some that see such changes in Estates,  
Hold all successes wrought by feigned Fates:  
No, no, a power superior sits and sways,  
This Labyrinths right race, and her estraies,  
Who doth, ne suffers aught, 'mong men in vain,  
And yet turns oft men's ways of loy to pain,  
And pain to pleasure if it more befit,  
None know things issues ere they see them hit,   

Astrologers by Planetary skill; 
Astrologers err in their speculations   
Presume to tell successes good and ill.  
If they indeed had deified wits,  
They might pre●age a thing before i● hits,  
But he that by celestial influence,  
And stars aspects seeks truths intelligence.  
Foretells man's lot, and how his end shall make,  
May hit by chance; more certainly mistake,  
Gain makes them gaze, vainglory makes them speak  
They pawn their credits, yet their promise break:  
So they that judge, by present weal, or woe,  
That future joy, or grief, must needs be so.  
(Though as the cause men deem th'effect to be)  
Their judgement blind, cause, nor effect can see,  
Blind than that judge of things succeeding well,  
By their well-weening, when they cannot tell, 
Well hardly known.   
What is that well that men ●o much desire,  
Wealth, honour, beauty, credit, wits aspire  
All which compared to well, indeed are found  
Base, evil, idle, rotten, and unsound.  
Unless with these concur hearts humbleness,  
Fear, reverence, and faithful thankfulness,  
True thankfulness, chief argument of grace:  
Of grace divine, that leads in that right race,  
That tends indeed to truest happiness,  
To earth's contentment and heavens blessedness.  
And to that peace that feedeth still a guest.  
That nought removes but earth's care from the breast,  
And yet earth's care the carnal heart's delight,  
That breeds a peace that fosters selfe-despite,  
Yet seemeth sweet that seeming yields content  
The heart mistaking falcifies consent.  
As greatest pearls and gems of best respect 
Simile   
By human art are found oft counterfeit.  
And he that wants true judgement of the thing,  
Esteems that base fit jewel for a King.  
The perfect pearl, is precious, permanent;  
The counterfeit, decays incontinent,  
In colour, weight, and value, which doth show  
The thing not currant, which doth alter so.  
So alter all this life's felicities,  
That fall to good, and bad, and miseries:  
They alter oft, and never stand secure,  
One gives the check, and lies aloof the lure.  
Th'other stoops, when men would have her fly,  
And both disdain all human policy.   

A●● not the low, set sometimes all-aloft?  
Are not the lofty, hurled down as oft?  
Profane, Divine, our own Domesticals  
Are mirrors, of Times true memorial:  
Sometimes the great, by b●fe are captivate  
To show that none till death is fortunate.   

The low, and high, stand all, in fickle stay  
Like changing actors, in a tragic play:  
In this life's Labwinth, men rise and fall,  
As creeks, and curuing lead, they meet withal.  
And nothing more leads passengers awry,  
Nor breeds more danger, than Security. 
Security.   
Securest, oft things most unjust commit,  
Not deeming powers Divine, consider it.  
But when they are, in their securest pride,  
Not looking low, where danger lies, they slide.   

Earth's comforts, are like Phoebus' splending rays,  
Her crosses like sad dark, and gloomy days: 
Prosperity and Aduersitic.   
Prosperity resembles, Summer spring,  
Adversity, Autumn, and wintering,  
Alternately have these their turns to run,  
Shining or shadowed, as, with clouds, the Sun.  
Which way s'euer, th'inconstant wind doth blow,  
It's still full-various, blow it high or low.  
And like to it, are Earthly men's estates,  
Increasing now, forthwith again abates.   

Best wits, do most affect Ambition: 
Wit and Wisdom.   
True Wisdom not, but with condition:  
For, if she think advancement dangerous,  
She makes a pause, not rashly credulous.  
For who sees not whereof high state's compounded,  
May think it large, till he see how 'tis bounded.  
It is great honour, to be set on high,  
But greater wisdom, to shun danger nigh.  
For Envy, virtues black infernal foe,  
Cannot affect any advanced so.   

A pleasing step to mount a regal throne,  
A wished lot, to be subject to none.  
Yet he that hath the highest step of state  
May not be happy, yet seem fortunate.  
The greatest happiness, is found to be,  
In him that lives at large, and ever free.  
What care, what travels, what regard have Kings, 
King's have great care.   
To manage those, under their governing?  
King's need but learn this one peculiar art,  
Over their Subjects the right ruling part:  
To do themselves, what they would others should  
For subjects minds, follow the Prince's mould,  
What love, what duty, what affection,  
Ought be in those, in their protection?  
For whoso lives, and rules, a multitude  
May say he lives in honours servitude,  
Though he command, the inferior sort obeys,  
They censure yet, what ruler doth, or says.  
If he be just then censured too severe,  
If pitiful, he looseth vulgar fear.  
If he reward, as princely liberal,  
They tax him then, as too too prodigal.  
If he be saving, and seem worldly wise,  
Th'accuse him then, as too too covetise,  
If he be peaceful, and refrain Debate,  
He is a coward, far, unfit for state.  
If he courageous, princely valorous,  
They grudge at this, as too too quarrelous.  
If he be grave, then is he proud in show,  
If affable, not fit a Prince be so.  
If he be sad, then discontent in mind,  
If merry, light. Thus vary they as wind.   

Can Honour wake, and will fowl Envy sleep? 
Honour hath Enuy.   
If Virtue rise, will Envy silence keep?  
Who then can see, though virtue be his guide;  
What may within this Labyrinth, betid,  
Wherein the wisest, oft, amazed stand:  
For best success, to turn on whither hand.   

The highest of the highest rank is set,  
To tread this maze, not free from counterlet.  
For, Envy bands, and doth oppose her skill,  
To circumvent as well the good, as ill.  
Whom she detracteth, be he high or low,  
Receives a wound, before he feels the blow.  
But, who pursues, another, in despite,  
Hurts more himself, then him he aims to smite.   

Virtue the lodestar of a lively life, 
Virtue and Envy.   
Is free itself, by Envy forced to strife.  
Where virtue shines, yet, in the outward deed,  
By inward light, makes Envies heart to bleed:  
Yet none can stop the mouths of Machiavels'  
That fawn, and whine, yet bite him that excels.  
Hardly the highest, and most honourable  
Avoid the scandals of those execrable,  
Not one, advanced, can tread this maze so right,  
But that foul Hag, will scandalise his might.  
The justest Magistrate, censures not that,  
Which will not be, by her, accepted at.   

Envy maligneth all, affecteth none,  
No, no, not those, of her own faction.  
For if she see her instruments to rise,  
She is suspicious, and will tyrannize.   

To raise and then reject, is her delights:  
She makes a pastime, of her works of spite.  
Yet is her force, but merely feebleness,  
Her wisdom folly, her wit giddynes.  
Self-harme she fears, at others goods she frets,  
She eggs to vice, and virtue counterlets.  
Desertless upstarts, that from basest rise,  
She doth with most desertful, equalise.  
She frames the fancies, of the vulgar so, 
Vulgar censure.   
As, they give censure, as is outward show.  
The robed in the bravest weeds, they deem,  
Most worthy; base in show, of base esteem.  
They seem to reverence, the glorious,  
To get their shelter, are obsequious.  
To whom, their fawns, in love they level not.  
But to be graced, by him, that grace hath got.  
And some that thus obtain, the fawning train,  
Think it true greatness: yet, concealed disdain.   

The likest way, leads oft to most annoy:  
Th'unlike to grace: This Labyrinth is coy.  
For oft their lies, abayt, in pleasing'st things,  
Enchanted, and men bite, and then it stings.  
Sweet first in taste; And yields a while content,  
The taste, well pleased, will, yieldeth full consent.  
And swallows it: And thinks it will digest,  
To his high happiness, and thinks him blest,  
That in this Labyrinth, he found the way,  
That others sought; But found not where it lay.  
Then he puffed up with vapours of his pride,  
Sails on as he commanded wind, and tide.  
Then fawning some, some flatter, some admire,  
Some yield all-hail, that hate his haute aspire.  
Some emulate, some envy, some devise,  
To hurl him down, that they themselves may rise,  
By right or wrong, Ambition seldom stays, 
Ambition   
When she begins, she scorns to make delays:  
From lowest step, she lifts her foot aloft,  
By large degrees; And he that steppeth oft,  
Goes far: Yet, some, as in a Crane doth raise  
Some others high, by his steps, yet he stays.  
And when the wheel hath mounted some too high.  
The engine fails, and they fall fearfully.  
And standers by, that see them rise, and fall,  
Admiring say better not rise at all.   

This moving world, may well resembled be,  
T'a jack, or Watch, or Clock, or to all three:  
For, as they move, by weights, or springs, and wheels,  
And every mover, others mover feels,  
So do the states, of men of all degrees,  
Move from the lowest to the highest fees,  
The lesser wheels, have most celerity,  
The greatest move with far more constancy,  
And if there movings lowest wheels neglect,  
The greatest mover doth them all correct.  
For, if the wheels, had equal force to move,  
The lowest would check, the leading wheel above.  
So, if there were, no difference in estates,  
All would be lawless, yet all Magistrates:  
Therefore hath Art, well ordered the thing,  
That best resembles, Subjects and their King.  
The spring is set to force the motion  
Of the unequal wheels; to make distinction:  
The wheels ought move, but as first mover will,  
If too too fast, or too to slow its ill.  
And if the spring, do tenter string too high  
It breaks: And wheels run back confusedly.  
Therefore a mean preserves the whole in peace,  
And true concordance: yieldeth sweet increase.   

The frame of heaven's admired, orbs mighty sphere  
Doth show, by nature, how arts wheels should steer:  
The princely Planet Sol, hath limits set,  
But in his moving hath no counterlet.  
She's only Mistress of the Zodiac,  
And that she walks, and weyneth forth and back,  
Teaching earths potentates to rest content,  
Not to usurp, beyond their set extent.  
For if the Sun should grow, too high, or low,  
Earth's orb or heavens her heat would overthrow.   

Ambition feigns, fame's period only lies  
To be Earth's Monarch, as sole Sun in skies:  
If one in earth seem greatest of renown,  
Another thirsteth to deprive his Crown.  
Achieved he holds, not yet his fame complete,  
Seeing some neighbour Diadems so great.  
There must no equals, or superiors be,  
Ambition scorns, comparative degree.  
Which makes th'ambitious, rash to undertake,  
Things desperate, for gold, and glories sake.  
He thirsts, for blo●d, he hungers most for gold,  
He overleapes men's heads, takes not good hold,  
Then Fortune frowns, and gives his pride a check,  
Aspiring wings clipped, falls and breaks his neck.   

Ambition is the spark of envies fire,  
Aspires itself, hates others that aspire.  
Retains not any drop of Temperance,  
To quench the heat, of hateful Arrogance.   

Where haute Ambition climbs th'inferior fall,  
Hard are th'ambitious, and illiberal: 
●3 Emperors of Rome in 100 years: whereof only 3. died of a natural disease, the rest were slain by ambition.   
Unless to Agents, in their Tragedies,  
Men merely of infernal qualities.  
Who stops their enterprise, by force must down,  
Blood must make way, to haute Ambitions crown.  
And when the diadem is won, and worn,  
With highest dignity, and best adorn:  
The Actors of their miscrean policies  
No longer held their needful complices.  
But seeking surance for their secrecy,  
Make agents, patients of their treachery.  
Then like the Sun resplending in the skies,  
In self-conceit, theyare glorious in men's eyes. 
In the time of Galienus 30. usurped the name of Emperor. The like ambition among Pipes, 6. at one time in the time of Henry the Emperor.   
Then sway they th'earth, as if whole orb were theirs.  
And due to none, but to them and their heirs:  
As in a dream puffed up, awaked they fall:  
Ambition beats th'ambitious to the wall.  
Successively, Ambition, reigns by force,  
The sword her right, and Rigour, her remorse.  
Glory and gold, are two extremes of lust,  
They shine in show awhile: then turn to rust.   

The virtuous man, will not exchange his state, 
The virtuous man.   
With him that seems, in fame, more fortunate.  
For, though the greatest, and the most of might,  
Have this life's outward, reverenced height,  
It is uncertain, nothing permanent,  
But minds, true patience, and the hearts content:  
The virtuous is, and will be as he is,  
No tossing tide, or tempest comes a ●isse.   

The riches of the mind, are light and long, 
Riches of the mind.   
They bring content, and make the owner strong.  
Portage, not ponderous, the roomer small,  
Where th'owner goes, his riches go withal.  
When th'worlds rich man, hath most he thinks in bank  
Unfolds his bills, and finds Assurance, blank.  
What he possesseth, others possessed before:  
Dead, what he had, others divide his store.  
These riches, rise, and fall, they pitch and fly,  
They run, and rest, as dust, before the eye.   

The greedy Miser, is earth's moth, and eats, 
The Miser.   
The fruits of others, he, yet never sweats:  
Nothing more pest, to public weal than he:  
Nothing more shunned, of virtuous men can be.  
Though gold, nor glory, in themselves be ill,  
If Will, rule them, And they rule not the Will.  
Avarice, a Beast, which hardly men can tame,  
It brings in pelf, puts on't a noble name.  
But he that lest affecteth riches lot,  
Hath that best lot, which some rich men have not.  
For, he that is content, possesseth most:  
And lest distracts his mind, what he hath lost.  
Virtue much grieves not, at sad misery:  
Nor much insults, at earth's felicity.  
But as the power Divine, appoints his lot  
He rests content: Th'ambitious man can not,  
He thirsts to rise, regards not though by wrong,  
His triumph short, in vain, desired long.   

Drinks are held best, that soonest quench the thirst,  
Ambition, drunk, drinks, more than at the first,  
It ever drinks, yet never is but dry,  
One cold the mouth. earths orb, fills not the eye.   

Fancy, a Fever hecttique of the mind,  
It sees sometimes, sometimes again is blind,  
Affection, guided, by right rule of grace,  
Disgraceth foolish fancy to her face.  
Right Reason, glut with Fancies banquetings  
Disgorgeth Fancy, and her flatter.  
And bends her appetite to feed on that,  
Is only good: shuns ill though delicate,,   

What happiness in seeming happy days, 
Life and Death   
Sith life begun, immediately decays?  
Delight, a dream; his death can no man shun,  
Entreat prevails not when times glass is run:  
Though life begins alike in general,  
By divers means fierce death determines all.  
Death's memory a motive to live well,  
She comes on sudden, when, disdains to tell,   

All creatures irrational show more content,  
In Brutish life: and seem more continent:  
Then many whom true reason should possess,  
As joy and grief: by two extremes express:  
human delights are short, repentance long  
Weak the resistance; will to vices, strong.  
What way soever, seemeth sweet men take,  
The truly sweet, they wilfully forsake,  
heavens sacred children do the best embrace, 
The virtuous and vicious.   
The worst the wicked by mistaken grace:  
Both have their joys, but by two contraries,  
heavens truth the one, th'other earth's vanities,  
The first hath inward th'other owtward light  
The first divine, that other carnal sight.   

The things men see and what they here possess,  
Is theirs they think, and therein happiness,  
Things present in conceit do profit most,  
Past or expected, deemed things but lost.   

The greatest men, that spacious buildings have,  
At once, possess of all, one only cave,  
At once they can but in one place reside,  
Though Gods on earth, in earth not deifi'de  
Where so the highest or the lowest Bee,  
In person are only, as eye doth see.  
Thoughts, yet, are hid, hearts, are extravagant  
Hearts hot desires too too, exorbitant.   

The greatest, wise, contain their greatest mind, 
Honour, mild.   
And hold themselves, but as them others find:  
Though great in state, true Honour is most mild  
Stout yet in heart, most constant, undefiled,  
To whom inferiors ought all duty lend,  
As members worthy, and most reverend.  
The memories, are still solemnized  
By th'virtuous living, of the virtuous deed.   

Some think their glory, of high mountain fame,  
When less than molehill others hold the same. 
Fame arrogate.    

Fame arrogate, is but a doubtful dream,  
A building founded, on a broken beam.  
A castle set, near surges, on the sand.  
Which falls forthwith under the bvilder's hand.  
Desert, preceding hearts desire to rise,  
Is only that, that truly dignifies.   

A fickle trust, or fear, Earth's fawn, or frown,  
When Fortune smiles, she plots to hurl Men down.  
And when she frowns, she frowns to try the mind:  
If it be constant,, then is she most kind.  
True Constancy, is always, one, the same  
In all events: it holds the force and name.   

It's not the thing, that joys, or grieves the heart  
It is conceit, of best, or worse part.  
For, he that is in crosses discontent,  
In best estate, was but malevolent.  
The virtuous, in high, or low estate,  
Show not the higher, or the lower rate.   

Most men, do most affect, but mortal things,  
Blind, not conceiving, rightly, what it brings:  
What future times may be, seek not to know,  
But that, whereby vainglory most may grow.  
Affecting that, which seems in show content,  
Like liberty, indeed, imprisonment.  
Fetters seem ornaments, freedom, but guile,  
Misery sweet mirth: home hard and harsh exile.  
Sickness of body, crosses, poor estate,  
Nothing so hard, as heart infatuate.   

Aspiring minds that fight for honours fame  
Faint not, but in conceit, achieve the same.  
The gain that grows, by heart's ambition,  
Is but the breath of basest of condition,  
Who by the vapours of their lips all-hail,  
Raise fickle blasts, that fill vaineglories sail:  
But he that best deserves, true glories fame,  
Is, that deserves, and seeks to shun the same.   

Some great about great princes, seek for praise:  
As do Heroics, by martial essays.  
Yet either may usurp, and challenge that,  
Which by desert, neither attained at,  
High hope of glory, moves to undertake,  
Things good, and ill, that may them famous make. 
Baltaser Scratch killed the P. of Orange, one Clement a Friar, and Raui●ia●k, killed the two Kings of France.   
Some minds so mad, and fancies, furious,  
They seek for fame, by actions impious.  
Project in heart to perpetrate some act,  
That soul, and body perish for the fact.   

Vulgar salutes, and courtly congees fly,  
To gain the beck, that feeds the fawning eye.  
Some struggle to be Prince's favourites,  
And yet in heart, but fawning parasites,  
Some deck them with that vermal excrement,  
Of peacock-plume-like, colours orient:  
To win world's wonder, and to gain the gaze  
As th'only merit-mirrors of this maze.  
Aesop's plume-stealing Crow, the birds, admired  
As men admire, the peacock-like attired.  
But when each bird, had his fair plumes re-reft  
The poor proud Crow, was naked, plumelesse left.  
Then birds admired, more her penurious case,  
Then her false glory, and usurped grace.  
A prudent Caveat, framed by Esop's wit,  
Needing no Comment to discourse of it,  
Vainglorious Habit, some, assume to seem,  
One of the Worthies, highest in esteem.  
But were his heart seen, as his habit is,  
Few men would guess, wit, or the habit his.  
The tongue, the gesture, and the habit show,  
What fancy feeds the heart, whence these plumes grow:  
None, yet can find, depth of concealed mind,  
Linx-persing sight, to hidden hearts is blind,   

Some shroud a secret guile, by seeming grace,  
A doubtful mirror, is a fawning face,  
More to be trusted is a threatening foe:  
Then he that feigns to love, and doth not so.  
Who thinks all congees, and fair looks are love,  
May much mistake, and of all knees that move,  
The Ass that bore the goddess Isis' frame,  
Assumed the Honour, done unto her name.   

Fortune's men have, gain, glory, or disdain: 
Fortune and Virtue.   
Fortunes are coy, but virtues courses plain.  
True virtue scorns, that silly Ass should bear her,  
Fortune not, for many asses wear her.  
And Aslike sottish, who, so much mistake:  
The congees, which, men to their garments make:  
The wise, indeed, and truly qualifi'de:  
Seek not, but suffer, to be dignifi'de.  
But where desire, presumes, before desert,  
He may usurp it, Th'honour, will revert.   

Admit a man, gain glory, and he grow  
(By means usurped) high and look not low.  
He will by his own weight, and fullness fall,  
And feigned friends, and fawtors fail withal.  
And though he stand, and grace usurped possess,  
The outward can not inward part express.  
None sees, how deep, how dark, how black, how blind  
Is dungeon of despair, in doubting mind  
Sorrowes-serpents, and griefes-torments lie  
Hid in fair prison, of false dignity.   

The man that lives in competent estate,  
And enviously, doth others emulate;  
If he grow greatest, of his rank will not  
Yet rest content, but still distaste his lot.  
The dropsy malady, is always dry,  
A quenchless thirst, is avaricious eye.  
It always climbs, hath never wished height,  
It seems to love, yet laden with despite.  
And if it lose, or miss, what it would get,  
It breaks the heart, it had a counterlet.   

Some seem to be, what they in heart deny,  
And seek, and find, what they'd, but can not fly.  
And what they fly, still follows them perforce:  
Themselves, self foes, have not yet self remorse.   

Great men, that hold themselves in servile state, 
Opinion.   
Though great in show, think slaves more fortunate.  
What so man holds him, in estate to be,  
Though not in deed, In heart, the same is he.  
Opinion joys, or grieves at things unseen,  
It works the Will, will blindeth Reason's eyen.  
One sleeps secure, though peril be his bed;  
Another cannot, not endangered,  
Some are but prisoners, yet supposed free;  
In freedom some, are prisoners in degree:  
A real prisoner hath seen gyved parts,  
Distracted minds, are fetters to men's hearts.  
What most distracts, is haut Ambition:  
Never content, with earths fruition,  
For had he got, this ample Orb would yet:  
Not rest content, nor bound his will, to get. 
Alexander.    

The things in earth, that man affecteth most,  
Decreasing grieve, increasing, make him boast.  
And when he boasteth most of flowing tide,  
It ebbs again, and back his fortunes slide.  
For as the Sea, stands not in one estate,  
But at the full it doth forthwith abate.  
And as, when Cancer, doth enjoy the Sun,  
It falls to Capricorn, where it begun.  
The Moon increaseth, and decreaseth oft,  
She new, comes old, now low, forthwith aloft.  
So do the states of men, aloft and low:  
Now rise, then fall, now ebb, and then reflow.  
A Father gets, a Son spends all, and dies,  
A Father spends, A Son doth get, and rise.  
No thing is permanent within this maze,  
Longest lasting, passeth as a paper blaze.  
And none by nature, rightly sees and shuns,  
Apparent dangers, as, in haste, he runs.  
The strongest strive, to run before the rest:  
The weak sometimes, themselves do reinuest.  
When partial censure, doth detract good deeds,  
It starves desert, in steed, it Envy feeds.  
No partial hand, nor tongue, nor eye can be,  
In virtues life. In envies all the three.   

Right Reason, and true Virtue, are two twins, 
Reason and Virtue.   
The second doth perform, what'th first begins.  
True Virtue, always hath, right Reason guide,  
With her consultes, by her is rectified.  
A virtue shaped in a forged show,  
By seeming true, hath oft the overthrow.   

An Ass attired in a lions skin,  
May seem a Lion, yet an Ass within.  
A masked face, implies; true beauties hue:  
The mask took off: oft, filthy face in view.  
So counterfeits that virtue falsify,  
Have but the shadow of integrity.  
The substance is, indeed, but seeming right,  
Compared indeed, to Virtue in the light.  
For, if she were in substance, as in show,  
Envy could not but seek her overthrow.  
Envy, a while is to the false, a friend,  
But to true virtue, never to the end.   

In what affairs, can man converse and live, 
Censure,   
But must endure, what censure all men give?  
If he do ill, high jove becomes his foe,  
By due desert, his conscience tells him so.  
If well, the world, and worldlings, enemies.  
They will, obrayde him, and him scandalise.  
And if he seek to please the multitude,  
(A monster) tamed by no fortitude.  
Self-pleasing, seemeth sweet, and most secure,  
Of all diseases, held the helping cure.  
Right Reason yet, condemns, self-love, as hate  
Who doth not public good, is detestate.  
He's happy'st that best pleaseth powers divine,  
Though he thereby, break league, with human line.   

Some hold the Court, the paradise of ease, 
The Court.   
Of plenty, pleasure, free, of all disease.  
Feigned honey drops, of courtly smiles do feed,  
Blind fancy, till it starve, yet feels no need.  
But when the Well, of sugar promise dries  
Without performance: then fond fancy dies.  
Reason revives, stirred up by sorrows signs,  
Retires, with sighs, to see, vain hopes declines.  
Some wish to lead, a rural private stare, 
A Rural 〈◊〉   
Rustics some hold, of all, most fortunate:  
Domestic cross, distracts, another's brain:  
Some glory in a clownish, rustic train.  
The swain that sweats, at paunch-full table toil,  
Feeds fat, more free, than Master of the soil.  
Some sick of court, and country, seek to please,  
Perturbed fancy, in the doubtful Seas.  
Some hoist the sail, for glory, some for gain, 
travelers.   
Successful some, some loose both by, and main.  
To see the parts, the persons, and the states,  
Of foreign soils, and mighty Potentates,  
Some pilgrimlike, forge habit to have pass,.  
Returning know not, what their errand was.   

A multi-linguist, is of such request,  
To gain it. Some, give carcase little rest.  
When all is done, that human heart can find  
None holds himself truly content in mind,  
Desire, is so exorbitant and large, 
Desire.   
It keeps no mean; of what it hath in charge.  
Rich therefore no man, can be truly said,  
Whose will with appetite, is overswaide.  
The seeming best content, will change his state,  
With him, seems more, and is less, fortunate.   

This doubtful Labyrinth, full of varieties,  
Amazeth many, with her contraries.  
The most men travers this Labyrinth awry,  
Some ofsel●e will, some of necessity.  
Pretended fear, or shame, lead men awry,  
They rightly see, and yet miscast their eye.  
They would retire, from hurtful things they take,  
But fear disgrace, their rash exchange would make.   

Is he not mad that fosters in his breast,  
A Viper venomous to make his nest.  
Who knows the thing he perpetrates is ill,  
er not by chance, but with consent, and will.  
The guilty heart, then touched with the same,  
Feeds inward viper, to shun outward shame.  
Among a thousand, ten have not the skill,  
To curb conceit, or manage well their will.   

There is a guide, and happy who her finds,  
Most ready priest, to best inclined minds.  
Few crave, or have her (in this maze) direction:  
But rashly run into self plagues infection.  
Yea they of seeming high and hidden skill,  
Do physic others, yet themselves do kill.  
Some counsel others to a wholesome layre,  
Yet they themselves, stay in infected air.   

Whither may one, fly from his inward sttife? 
〈…〉 rs of 〈…〉 diuer●.   
Where may he live, to lead contented life?  
The Court hath cares to get and keep what's got,  
And fear to lose, what one indeed hath not.  
In Country grows, a thousand discontents,  
Rural crosses, Disaster, accidents.  
Some seek content by solitariness,  
That yields no solace, but sad heaviness.  
Company, some crave, to move the mind to mirth:  
Short, is that mirth, oft dieth in the birth.  
Some seek the Desert, some the froathing Seas,  
The Wars seek some: none, yields contented ease.  
A thousand fantasies possess the breast,  
All promise, yet not one, gives grieved rest. 
〈…〉.   
They flatter all▪ as fawning Harlots do,  
They hug, and kiss, the weak conceits, they woo.  
They draw the mind▪ from prays-full constancy  
To rash consent, and peevish levity.  
For, what the eye doth apprehend and see,  
The heart conceives, and breedeth fantasy.  
Fancy affects, or doth reject the things  
That th'art's conceit to th'understanding brings.   

The heart sometimes in covert policy,  
Conceals effect, of hidden fantasy,  
As he that seems, to fly the praise of men,  
Seeks it, by shelter, in monastic den.  
In show, some, do deny, what they desire,  
Some would go on in show, yet they retire.  
Some set themselves before, by drawing back,  
In show some forward, that in heart are slack.  
Some thirst for honour, that deny to take it,  
Some well deserve it, would, can not forsake it,  
Some seem to hide them from society  
Desire it yet, under feigned modesty,  
Some are most meek, in seeming outward pride,  
In heart some proudest, seeming mortified.  
No man can judge another's mind by guess,  
Though outward gesture seem it to express,  
A hart-proud man, may be but base in show,  
In heart too high, in weeds a strain too low.   

If men of worth, of office, place and state,  
Be base in show, their grace extenuate.  
And bring disgrace upon the place they use;  
And give men place, them and their place t'abuse.  
The person just, the mind within upright 
True glory.   
Give grace, and glory, to the basest dight,  
Graceful attire, a lawful ornament;  
To him that sways a place of government.  
Although the garment, nothing dignifies  
The persons, but the place they exercise:  
The mean therefore, (though few it seek or find)  
Should rule, & curb, the gross extremes of mind.  
Some stand conceited of their own desert,  
Of all men's humours, seem not in-expert.  
But hold them all that flatter truest friends,  
He is no foe, whose knee and bonnet bends.  
Strange thing to see, that he should least suspect,  
Another's fawns, himself most counterfeit,  
But as he forged coppor coin, for gold,  
With it is paid for feigned fawns he sold.   

A thousand humours strange man undergoes,  
And dangers infinite, to gain him foes.  
For, what true virtue holdeth not for just  
Proceeds, from inbred, and forbidden lust.  
Lust, inward enemy and rageth most.  
In that vain heart, that outwardly doth boast.  
Pompey could not endure, an equal mate,  
Nor Caesar, one in Superior estate.  
Yet neither had a stronger outward foe, 
Arrogance.   
Then inward pride, that bred their overthrow.  
Antiochus did bear himself in hand  
That he could foot the seas, and sail the land,  
When will, and power, and Arrogance do meet,  
Virtue is trod, and Reason under feet.  
As sotted Sabor, that proud Persian King,  
Was ●●ouerswayd with foolish fancying.  
As he the title, King of Kings assumed,  
Companion of the stars, himself presumed.  
Brother unto the Moon, and glorious Sun,  
And they shone not, till his light first begun,  
Thus arrogance inflames the fuming breast,  
Consumes true peace, deprives the heart of rest:  
The errors infinite, of waving mind:  
What pleaseth now, is suddenly repined. 
Conceit.   
Conceit intends, all what it seeks is best,  
And had, it holds it, most accepted guest.  
But when a cross conceit, comes thwart of it,  
The first cast off, the second held more fit.   

The greatest grace, is mighty Prince's grace, 
A Prince's favour.   
His bounties hand, and his affecting face:  
When it's at highest, it harbours yet a fear,  
Lest fairest Sun, presage a tempest near.  
A lions fawns, fed by his keeper shows,  
Whence Lions love, unto his Keeper grows,  
Though gentle clawing, and oft feeding makes  
Fierce Lion tame, heed yet the Keeper takes,  
And fearfully he gives, familiar Lion food,  
Doubting his fawns, may turn to fiercer mood.  
So Princes favourites amazed stand,  
Lest Prince should frown, turn, or withdraw his hand.  
A Prince may raise, for cause, hurl down again,  
He's only absolute, and sovereign.  
But Princes of respective clemency,  
Are still the same in princely constancy.  
Yet if their favourites Dependencies,  
Prove not of love, but lust for Dignities.  
The Argos-eyed Prince, will soon detect,  
The hollowhearted, and the counterfeit.  
The Prince than checks them, (full of treasure's fraught)  
Wrings out their wealth, & brings their fame to nought.   

The way to win, another's aid, at need,  
Receivers heart, must correspond the deed.  
The Talion-lawe, gives like to like to all,  
Prevailing deeds, for love effectual.  
Fearce-love procures, a deed of like effect,  
Fair in the show, in deed, but counterfeit.   

When things succeed not to th'expectants mind,  
He looks not where he might th'occasion find.  
His hidden heart, and self hypocrisy,  
He might, but will not lay before his eye.  
But doth accuse, his feigned friend, or chance,  
Of self desert, will take no cognizance.  
Some feign that Fortune gives, yet doth not see 
Fortune.   
She makes at random, high and low degree;  
In constant, fickle, of Camelion-showes,  
A fancy or a dream, whom no man knows.  
Some feign her, brutish, sottish, and some blind,  
None can define her, as she is in kind.  
Her name, nor nature, nor her qualities,  
Are truly such as man Philosophies:  
For when we say, fortune, or fortunate,  
It's providence Divine, we intimate.  
This providence distributes, as he will,  
In outward things, alike, to good, and ill.  
To none by chance, Divinely he foresees,  
Where great, or lesser portion best agrees.  
The greatest portion, and the least may fall,  
Alternately, and suddenly to all.  
And all for good, unto the good befalls,  
The best good thing the wicked most enthralls.  
And whether seeming good, or ill men have,  
For good, or ill, the powers Divine it gave.  
Not ill, in what is given, or him that gives,  
The heart doth hurt, mistaking what relieves.  
For what is good, blind Nature doth despise,  
And likes of bad, pleasing fond fancies eyes.  
As is opinion, so is good, and bad,  
The good and ill, is as it's held, and had.   

Much joys, some man, when he by fraud doth rise  
And thinks him happy in his enterprise,  
Such gain and glory, yet are steps to shame,  
Unless true virtue soon, reform the same.   

True greatness, grows, by right and not by wrong, 
True greatness   
The Just are great, the contrary not strong.  
Though seeming so, in human fantasy,  
It's but the shadow of felicity.  
For, when the Fates, (by Poets feigned) so called,  
Deprive again, what they themselves installed.  
Then how that greatness, futurely succeeds,  
Soon shows itself, by vanity it breeds.  
Fullness, breeds pride, and pride, breeds liberty,  
Liberty gets sin, sin brings misery.  
Misery breeds grief, Grief sadness to the heart,  
Sadness, the gall of out, and inward part.  
If outward, and the inward parts sustain,  
For present pleasure, such succeeding pain.  
Why should men mourn, when they begin to slide,  
From Earth's fair favour, so oft falsified?  
Assured to none, no, none, so great can say,  
He stands secure; If powers Divine say nay.  
Where greatness grows, there emulation breeds,  
Where Emulation lurks, there Envy feeds.  
Where Envy lives, there hidden Treachery,  
Seeks to betray by seeming amity.  
It's seldom seen, a man of might to fall, 
Covert Treachery. Androm●cus betrayed Crassus under colour of love etc. Zopirus betrayed the Babylonians to Darius covetously.   
But some, that seems to love, prepares the gall.  
Needless to quote examples, here by name,  
For, full are our times legends of the same.   

Are not great Cities, by like guile, surprised,  
As well as men, the actors long disguised?  
How then can men advanced high be sure,  
That they are safe, though they themselves be pure?  
Sith inward favourites may undermine,  
Their hearts designs, and covertly combine, 
P●ltrot killed the Guise his master etc.   
With envies Actors, to hurl down the tree,  
Under whose beams, themselves safe sheltered be?  
Hate may be hid, under true loves pretence, 
Love and Hate.   
And true Love live. And yet, but held offence:  
The first is subtle, secret, politic:  
The second, simple, overt, still it like▪  
The first pretendeth love, and loveth not,  
The second loves, beloved, thinks it not.  
Deceived sometimes, by feigned humbleness,  
And verb all duty, forged thankfulness.  
The fearful, mild, stands off, in heart comes near,  
Not feigning duty, If true trial were.  
The most officious are not firm'st of trust,  
Though forward, and by deep protests most just.  
The habit, face, and tongue, might show the heart,  
If it were skilless of dissembling art,  
The touch of truth, doth in true trial rest,  
Truly tried, duty shows, transparent breast,  
Only fowl E●●y dissembles that,  
May draw the innocent to stumble at.  
In words, and deeds, and what men do project,  
It much behooves them to be circumspect.  
Deeds done are seen, words heard, and thoughts concealed  
Fools speak, and do, yet say, I'll have't concealed.  
What's done or said, nay thought, will be disclosed,  
Too late to say, I wish 'twere not proposed.   

All states of men by nature dangerous,  
For all are carnal, too too humorous.  
And in their humours, often perpetrate,  
Offensive things, too inconsiderate. 
God disconers secretest thing.   
For, though they think, the things they spoke, or did,  
Could not be known (from foes concealed and hid.) 
God discoucred the powder Treason.   
That power Divine discovers secretest things:  
Concealing none, no, not the thoughts of Kings.  
He will re-rouze from dark Oblivions pit,  
Fare bypassed sin of men forgetting it.  
His Majesty of wisdom infinite  
Is patient, but not forgetful quite.  
His long for bearance, no quietus est,  
Mercy, and judgement, still possess his breast▪   

The powers Divine, behold the inward part,  
Of Rich and poor: nought hurteth, but the heart:  
A poor man proud, A rich man covetous,  
The powers Divine, hold equal odious.  
The poor content, The rich man liberal,  
In earth betoken, grace spiritual.   

The Rich, and Poor, resemble two estates, 
Rich and Poor.   
The one, and other, as each estimates,  
Their joy and grief, resemble heaven and hell,  
How either stands, none, but himself can tell.  
Although the Poor seem here afflicted most,  
The Rich may have, than he, less cause to boast.   

A harder lot, lights, not on men that need, 
Need.   
A strong commander in the active deed:  
But in the passive part, no thing more strong,  
Perforce, accepts, and undergoes all wrong.  
But if it would, it can not do the thing,  
May ease the mind, commanded by a King.   

When grief of heart, proceeds of outward need,  
Supply revives, the inward parts that bleed, 
Grief twofold.   
But if it grow, by sins felt guiltiness.  
No outward cure, can ease hearts heaviness,  
Only the heart, encountering what is ill,  
Not doing ill, but as against the will,  
Obtains the victory: that bringeth peace,  
That peace, heals grief, makes sorrow-fever cease.   

Heart's nature seeks, to please itself below,  
Where, what it feels, pretends, it well doth know: 
The future not foreseen.   
Yet knoweth not, by present, future things,  
Though what too day, not what too morrow brings.  
Much less by this, the carnal minded see,  
What joy, or grief, in future time shall be,  
What's found in fine, shall be perpetual,  
Here won or lost, the best and principal.  
But hearts divinely light do here foresee,  
Of carnal hearts delights, what end will be:  
Bondmen of free, these earthly pleasures make,  
The wise preponder, what they undertake.  
For, pleasures coming, promise hearts relief,  
Retained, performed, and gone, leave th'heart' in grief.  
A man best qualifide, indeed doth ill,  
To gaze on that, that may pervert the will.  
The eye doth show the object of the heart.  
The heart than likes or loathes what th'eyes impart.  
And when desire, inkindles and consents,  
Be't good, or ill, it is the thing contents.  
What best contents, is that good thing men crave,  
Which they themselves, or which some others have.  
Desire, and Appetite, are blind and strong,  
They both command, both lead commanded wrong.  
Unless right Reason, deign to be their guide,  
By whom the heart is rightly rectifide.  
Not to aspire, against right Reasons will,  
To run and rise, without regard, is ill.  
Many hid gulfs, and pits of danger lie,  
Which they avoid, that run advisedly.   

Some may mistake, and judge of men amiss, 
All men advanced not ambitious   
Not every one, advanced, ambitious is.  
Whom Virtue raiseth; honourable parts  
Will show desert, good deeds, bewray good hearts:  
When earthly honour, hath celestial grace,  
Th'inferior by them, are in graceful case,  
For, as the Sun, shines not, but gives all heat,  
So by true honour, meanest, comfort get.  
A painted Sun, may seem in show to shine,  
So may th'ambitious to the outward eyen,  
And he that seeks to warn him by that Sun,  
Needs not complain of too much warmth he won.  
A man that scales, fair Honours mount by might,  
Though most unlust, presumes to seem upright,  
Where virtue daignes not her prevailing hand  
To raise: the raised, is as a plant in sand,  
Though watered withers, with the frost of ha●e,  
The blossoms fall, forged fair, and delicate.  
As good men grow, and rise to wished grace,  
So grow the ill, not judged by their place.  
But by the sword, that in the place they sway,  
Th'use or abuse, whereof their heatrs bewray.   

None are advanced by chance to government,  
Nor rise, nor fall, by Fortune, discontent.  
But all are set in places high or low,  
And wither too, or else more greater grow,  
By powers Divine: The good he sets,  
To succour those that have wrong counterlets.  
The ill he sets, that good and ill may see,  
How right and wrong, how light and dark agree.  
For as all creatures, live by contraries,  
So Common weals, in their societies.  
If all were of one disposition,  
Law needed not, nor imposition.  
But, as the night, and day, are two in show,  
And each gives other, changing over throw,  
So right, and wrong, are ever in debate,  
The second seeks the first to violate.  
Yet takes the habit, of the thing she hates,  
To feign it good, the thing, she perpetrates.  
A wicked man that counterfects his deeds,  
Covets to show them, as true virtue's seeds:  
At length they show the soil, wherein they grew,  
By bud, or bloom, by branch, or stalk, or hue.   

It boots men much, advanced, to have foresight,  
Whom they accept, and shelter by their might,  
Yet wish I none to be suspicious,  
Without good cause, or too too credulous:   

None can foresee, th'event of future days,  
His harms, his helps, dispatch, or his delays,  
Nought can succeed unto the good, or ill  
Wealth, want or mean, with, or against their will:  
As they do will, or as they can foresee  
All things are done by him whose will is free,  
And if men knew what providence divine,  
Works by his will, they would their wills incline  
To take it well; how so their wills were crossed,  
For oft it's ill, when seeming wisest boast.   

If one advanced, be brought to mean estate,  
Let him not murmur, rather r●●inate, 
One advanced brought low.   
Re-chaw the cud of wilful ways forgot,  
Which who forgets the powers divine do not:  
From whose all-seeing eye nothing is hid,  
Disclosed shall be what so the closest did.   

If Envy hurt thee (virtues dismal ghost)  
Fear not nor faint, think not thine honour lost:  
Where Virtue lives, there Envy never dies,  
Where Envy lurks is nest of villainies.   

True Honour maybe stung, but cannot die,  
Though Envy hiss she stands and scorns to fly.  
True virtue fortifies true honours seat,  
The heart heroical, that still is great  
By inward grace. If by his vice one fell,  
Obraid him not, nor wish him greater hell,  
For, sin sufficeth for sins punishment,  
Without inflict of death or banishment.  
Men in this Maze have sundry griefs and pains,  
Yet none that lives, all griefs at once sustains:  
But one with this, with that another pines,  
As heart corrupt, or member gross inclines.  
Some cry as did the Sh●na●ite his head,  
Some as Antiochus, his belly ill besteed,  
With Asa some against the gout complain,  
With Aristarch against the dropsy pain  
Th'afflicting fever shakes some's trembling bones,  
The grating Stone enforceth helpless groans,  
If theirs and other griefs combined in one  
And in one body, did insist alone,  
They all could not one evil equalize,  
A troubled Conscience gulf of maladies,  
Which though men feel not in their pleasure's fits●  
In fine 'twil try the quintessence of wits,  
As rivers run into the Ocean all,  
So in the conscience griefs in general.  
To rack the heart that feels no terror now,  
And nought shall ease it, deep'st protest or vow,  
Though men of might may deem them free from ill,  
For that none dare to countercheck their will,  
A guilty Conscience will bring miseries,  
No boot to plead high lawless dignities:  
Though Tyrants seem to have no fear to fall,  
In outward show, within they feed on gall,  
The outward lawless, have small inward rest,  
Their seeming free, is froth of fretting breast.  
Foolish, feeble, faithless is vanity,  
Yet feeds fond fancy with variety.  
Oh fly her truthless feigning flatteries,  
That seeks to soothe men in impieties:  
And yet betrays the worthiest wights that love her,  
Thrice happy he that can in time remove her.  
And most unhappy who embrace her most,  
A Saint in show, in deed an owgly ghost.  
Some great, disguise their guile, by smiling face,  
And seem in show to back the weak with grace:  
A strong conceit, of dreamt feast doth feed 
Promises not performed   
As doth a promise of a helpless deed.  
Resembling th' apple, Tantalus would taste,  
That gapes, and bites, but biteth still in waste.  
A promised favour not performed is, 
Mare Sodomi●um.   
Much like the Apples of Asphaltidis,  
Which to the eye are goodly great and fair,  
Within all ashes and corrupted air.  
The fairest promises are farthest tossed,  
Oft, stricken fair, as often nicely crossed,  
A ball that hath no stuff to bear it out,  
Lights always short though he that strikes be stout.  
Great care ought men of greatest place to have,  
In promise or denial what men crave,  
A quick denial or a quick consent,  
In all demands, yields Reason best content.  
Lingering performance of a promise made,  
Makes Hope to wither in the ripening blade.   

Experience teacheth how to take or shun, 
Experience.   
As former good, or ill success hath run:  
Some men do find by others fortunes fall,  
A stronger staff to stay themselves withal:  
He than is happy who can harms forsake,  
By shunning that, some to their hurts did take.  
Examples teach to take or to eschew,  
And only steed, as helps, or harms ensue.  
The best examples may direct awry,  
Though in the precedent no error lie.  
As is opinion, so is good or ill,  
Mistaken oft, by rash conceiving will:  
Who so preponders how things may succeed,  
Before attempts, takes likeliest way to speed. 
Ignorance breeds content.    

Sometimes doth Ignorance, breed most content  
Not to foresee some dangers imminent:  
It breeds, but terror, anguish grief, and fear,  
A known inevitable danger near:  
It profits nothing danger to fore-show  
To him that by no means can it forego.  
Only it may prepare the heart's consent, 
Fantasy,   
To undergo what means cannot prevent.   

Sometimes to lack what one desireth most,  
Is best: And when a thing held dearest is lost,  
Fond fancies, best, is often worst to have,  
What she affects oft makes a freeman slave:  
Fancy miscarried by a doubtful guide,  
Is much deceived by ignorance or pride,  
Rash presumption, and blind ignorance  
Are common actors of self hindrance.  
The one is rash, in self-conceit aspires,  
The other sottish, may rise, yet retires,  
The first conceiveth his deserts so great,  
He scorns to seek: the great should first entreat.  
The second knows not to distinguish who  
Is feigned friendly, or professed foe:  
Without the guidance of celestial light,  
It resteth not in power of mortal wight.  
By it the giver, and the taker knows,  
For what desert the given guerdon grows:  
This only resteth in true honours breast,  
Where never Avarice or Envy rest.  
This Honour lives her virtue never dies,  
Her fame immortal by true loves Trophies 
True honour never dies.   
(Honours renown) Envy cannot stain it,  
Although she frown, and in despite disdain it.  
This earthly honour, heavens benedice,  
Her virtues life an earthly Paradise.  
The garden of content, where grows the seed,  
That bears the fruit whereon the poorest feed.  
In this fair Eden, are exalted most,  
Who best deserve. Not such as only boast:  
This Honour hears, and justly arbitrates,  
men's causes, when, the partial vulnerates.  
Sith counterfects cry out likewise for aid,  
It doth observe, how each man's cause is swayed.  
And onl'endeuors truly to descry,  
Who feel indeed, and who forge misery.   

That power divine that's absolute, and sees,  
Both base and big, disposing all degrees.  
Sets up high Cesar, gives him sword and crown,  
He bows, or breaks, and hurls the proudest down.   

To infinite Earth's portions infinite  
He gives, from Sceptre, to the meanest mite,  
And whoso grudgeth, at the lowest rate,  
Usurps, his portion, and bewrays his hate.  
From lowest step, and basest in degree,  
Lots rise by rule, unto the largest fee.  
And none 'mong all, can so compare his lot,  
As he may prove he hath what others not.  
No, none, by just comparison, may say,  
His lot is like another's every way.  
For, as men's faces, infinite to see,  
Are all unlike, though some resemblance be;  
Yet all compared to one, or one to all,  
They differ all: So states in general.  
And as they differ, in their high and low,  
So their offence greater, or less in show.  
For persons, time, and place do aggravate  
Faults more or less, or them extenuate.  
For when a great man errs in public view,  
Th' examples draws offenders to ensue.  
Therefore behoves them to beware or shun▪ 
Powers Di●●●●rd●n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Offence: for powers Divine see how they run.  
Who doth reward in substance, not in show;  
If it stay long, the heavier is the blow:  
He doth discover by all-seeing light,  
Most cunning counterfects, that seem upright.  
Will future answer counterfeit prevail?  
The judge is just, and will accept no bail;  
But as the cause deserves, the party finds,  
Pardon, or punishment: his sentence binds:  
Affirmative, Come, Negative, Depart  
Without respect of person, but of heart.  
The greatest in his sight, unjust, are base:  
Upright, are great: though in penurious case.  
This judge of judges, of true equity  
Forgives, condemns; But neither partially.  
It's not the basest, not the great'st, in grace,  
That can pretend, or challenge greater place,  
Nor by his place, foreshows, his weal or woe,  
But by his inward, heart, or outward show.  
The one is secret, and from man concealed,  
The other overt, sundry ways revealed.  
Yet neither truly doth appear to men,  
The heart is hid, a deep, and darksome den.  
But powers Divine, well see the closest heart,  
The work, and will, the thought and hidden part.   

This Providence, Alknowing, worketh all,  
He hurls down some, And some he saves from fall,  
He feeds some fat; And some he keeps but low:  
He cuts down some, and some he leaves to grow.  
He doth dispose, the things, he gives or takes:  
Some ignominious, some he glorious makes:  
Some Rich as Croesus, poor as Hecalen,  
Some needy, as was Irus Ithacen.  
And none can counterm and his providence,  
Policy, nor power, nor haute insolence-  
Grief cures not grief, sad sorrow yields no meed,  
Content relieves; Conceit doth starve, or feed:  
Vain hope, that hungers for uncertainties,  
Feeds fainting heart with helpless vanities  
Who ties his hope on human anker-line,  
Carnal conceit holds, that vain hope divine.  
On human help yet hope may builded be,  
Foundation laid first by divine decree.  
This hope I have this ankerhold my rest,  
The line of love hath linked it to my breast:  
This line is lent to lead me in the dark,  
Of doubtful maze: true duty is my mark.    


THis Tragical discourse of man's estate,  
I heard attentively; yet silent sat:  
And as I sat in my sad sorrows Cell,  
My heart gave Echo, as his speeches fell.  
And as I mused what this project meant,  
A Lady grave, I saw herself present, 
The description of virtue.   
She's Sovereign governess within this maze  
Her glory great made passionate to gaze,  
Her looks were loving, beauty sunlike bright,  
Her stature tall, above the clouds in height,  
Her arms extended infinitely far,  
And on her breast a brazen shield for war:  
One hand a Sceptre, her other hand did hold,  
A sword; her head a Diadem of gold,  
Instead of pearl rich, to adorn the same,  
There streamed from it a far extending flame,  
Over her head, a rich pavilion set,  
Azure-coulored, which in a circle met:  
Under her feet a Pavement strangely spread,  
Laid, and compact of ghastly bodies dead.   

This strange aspect, and vision mystical  
I could not think, but mere celestial:  
Therefore, without Divine assistance, I  
Durst not conject the hidden mystery:  
But searching inward truth by outward show,  
I did collect whence each of these did grow.   

Her looks of love, imports the sweet delights,  
Wherewith she feeds, her constant favourites,  
Her Sunlike beauty, shows she is Divine,  
Her stature tall shows, she's 'bove sight of eyen.  
Her arms extension, her great might imports,  
And readiness to strengthen, her consorts.  
Her shield upon her breast, shows her defence,  
When Envy rageth in great'st violence.  
Her Sceptre shows her power, and love to peace.  
The Sword, her valour, and her mights increase:  
Her golden Diadem, her victories,  
Her splending beams, do show her dignities:  
She set within a circkled azure Tent,  
Shows her true limits, and her powers extent.  
The pavement, of the corpses of dead men shows,  
She hath her foes, and them she overthrows.  
She treads them down that do withstand her might:  
None see her clearl' her beauty shines so bright:  
But they alone, whose hearts conformed be,  
Have inward sight, and with delight her see.  
They frame the faculties of Sense and Will,  
To apprehend the good, and shun the ill.  
Attendant on this Lady grave, I saw,  
A hideous hag, clad, with rend leaves of Law:  
For, impious ones, that only work disdain,  
To seem upright, seek shroud for outward stain.   

This hag was ugly, coloured pale, and wan;  
Her face puffed up, she covered with a fan.  
Her eyes were fiery, teeth of gastfull 〈◊〉  
A sword-like tongue, seen when the hag did gape.  
Lion-like her claws, in hands and feet were set,  
And when she gryped, her ugly tallandes met.  
Her nosthrels wide, her breath a stinking scent,  
Her stature low, her body corp●lent.  
Her hands were both the left, she had no right,  
Her arms seemed great, with bow and arrows dight.  
Her life she leads in dark, and dismal den,  
She comes among, but seldom seen of men.  
She counterfeits, Chameleon-like her hue,  
That none may know her by the outward view.  
She's always dry, and only drinks of blood,  
Whereof there flows, where she abides a flood.   

This hideous sight affrights my mind oppressed,  
And what it meant, I pondered in my breast.  
A voice (me thought) divinely thundered out,  
The meaning of this mystery of doubt.   

The hag was Envy, which did thus appear,  
Her colour pale, imports despite and fear.  
Her swollen cheeks, shows her puffed up with spite,  
Covered, imports, she flies reveyling light.  
Her fiery eyes, bewray revenging mind,  
Her gastfull teeth, her cruel tigers kind.  
Her sword-like tongue, imports her words are wounds,  
Her gaping mouth, whom she can seize, confounds.  
Her lions claws, her cruelty imports,  
Her stinking breath, her poisoning her consorts.  
Her stature low, imports she is but weak,  
Her belly big, she must disgorge or break.  
Both hands sinister, shows she doth no right,  
Her bow and shafts, her furniture of spite.  
The den wherein she lives, in dark doth show,  
That nought in her, but things of darkness grow.  
Her counterfeiting sundry shapes, declares,  
How forging love, her deep despite prepares.  
None knowing her by outward habit, makes  
Some fall into her snares, and them she takes.  
Her thirst for blood, imports her hate so great,  
As nought, but death, can quench her hateful heat.  
The spring of blood that issues from her Cell,  
Shows her delights do spring and flow from hell.  
All which, she cloaks with feigned piety,  
Cou'ting to cover inward enmity.  
This ugly filth, the Mother of despite,  
Pursues that Lady of true loves delight.   

These visions strange appalled my mind oppressed;  
For sorrows subjects, would, but cannot rest:  
Yet by the process of each course I guessed,  
Whose person each, of all the three expressed.   

This passionate, (deserving) crossed relates,  
By his success, the change of all estates.  
The Lady fair, true Virtue represents:  
The hag foul Envy, nurse of Malcontents.  
Her clothing of rend leaves of books of Law,  
Imports her seeming, but of Law no awe.   

The Lady modest, had a veil e'cast  
Over her face, this hag oft makes it fast,  
Lest men should see the glory of her face,  
And guide them by her rudiments of grace.   

The Lady mild, beheld this passionate,  
Blush at her presence, and her graceful gate.  
The hag perchance, did most amaze the man,  
Who on the Lady sprinkles with her fan  
Distasteful savours, and reproach with tongue:  
Yet this mild Lady undergoes her wrong,  
Seems not to hear, or feel her injuries;  
Custom makes constant in extremities.   

This graceful Lady, doth thi● common so●,  
Captive at will, yet wills to let her go.  
Gives not consent unto her works of hate;  
She holds her, feeble, ●urious, detestate.   

This lovely Lady, with affecting cheer▪  
Her vail cast off, wills passionate come near:  
He, fearful falls, before this Lady fair,  
And seeks on sudden, outward faults repaire●  
For, whoso comes obruptly in the view  
Of great estates, will all defects renew,  
And set external things in order neyte,  
Though a mere pharisaical conceit.  
Much was this passionate deceived in this;  
This Lady looks, what is within amiss.  
No outward onament allureth her,  
Who think to win her by gay garments, err▪  
No outward want, or baseness in attire,  
Disgraceth her, none great, make her admire.  
Defects within, she only loathes▪ and ●●yes:  
The good: within, with grace, she fortifies.  
The impious ones, she hates, and scorns to be●  
Where that foul hag is entertained, not she.   

This hateful hag, usurps dominion  
Within this Labyrinth, (disunion)  
Before she came, and did intrude the place,  
It was no Labyrinth, but place of grace:  
But now she bands, in her al-hatefull bower,  
In spite usurping virtues seeming power.  
She is most hateful to the virtuous:  
In outward show, yet, most obsequious.  
They scorn to foil their fingers in her deeds;  
Deluding some, yet, by her painted weeds,  
Chameleon-like she oft transforms her face;  
And feigns her Angellike, in frauding grace.  
The Lady shines▪ and shows he● self to those  
That love her light, and be black envies ●oes.  
Her counsel consequent, t'each'ch passionate,  
Shows how to curb this hag, though obstinate.  
Though she betrays, by wiles, and circumuentes,  
The most desertful, by her instruments.  
This Lady lures, and would have all men ●●ye  
That monster, mother of impiety;  
Who lulls her lovers, like a nurse of spite,  
With kiss of curses, seeming sweet delight.    

The Lady her speech to the Passionate.  

LOng since I this confused Maze possessed,  
(Chief Lady) when 'twas place of heavenly rest,  
Before the fall of him, I first did bear:  
Who●e dismal fall, this hateful hag did rear.  
Herself once set (pu●e) in celestial place,  
Envy, and Pride, deprived her of that grace.  
Cast down from bliss, then stripped of light, and love:  
Maligned the glory, shining from above;  
And hates the happiness of man below,  
Placed in the Garden, where Content did grow;  
She than intrudes▪ pretending wisdoms love,  
And my first borne, in malice did remove,  
From light to dark, from grace, to giddiness,  
From Love to ●ust, from Faith to sickleness.  
In him (my first) have all posterities,  
Lost true content, and found sad miseries.  
Now she seems greatest, and of greatest might;  
She's so indeed, but only in despite.  
She countercheckes the course, which I advise,  
And fills this Labyrinth with cruelties.  
The place where now this Labyrinth is set,  
Was free to me, I had no counter let,  
Until this hag usurped power, and place,  
And by her w●les, robbed human kind of grace.  
A graceless guide, her light, infernal fire,  
Begot below, black Darkness was her fires  
A hateful monster▪ of infernal breed,  
On human hearts and souls delights to feeder  
As Toads and Serpents, creatures venomous,  
Feed on gros●e poison, and 〈…〉:  
So this foul hag feeds only on despite,  
Envy, 〈◊〉, Ha●e, are ●er delight▪  
None can escape her hideous hands of hate,  
The purest, she seeks to contaminate.   

Within this Labyrinth high pours 〈…〉,  
That qualities 〈…〉 I might beget▪  
And men by me might learn to live upright,  
And reassume the grace of heavenly light:  
Which is not got by human policy,  
By Art or force, or restless industry.  
The proud, malicious, haughty▪ insolent,  
Learn of that hag, their graceless government.  
The humble only, and true fearful take  
The way of life, I level for their sake  
A way, yet seeming way of bitterness,  
Of heart's distaste, and irksome weariness:  
Only to those, whose reason she perverts,  
And seeds of Ignorance, in steed inserts:  
She muffles men, and hoods them, lest they see,  
The means to make them, of her bondmen, free.   

Thou knowst that haste had trial of her spite,  
He is her slave, that is her favourite. 
The practices of Envy.   
If thou persist a favourite of mine,  
Thou canst not be but odious in her eyen.  
She will oppose thee, and against thee band,  
She'll fawn in 〈◊〉, have wounding sword in hand●  
A seeming cup of sweet delight she bears,  
If that serve not, sh'in●atuates with tears.  
Flattery and force, are weapons of her fight:  
A fearful combat, to the virtuous, light.  
Revenge of wrongs (though light) she instigates,  
Puts patience by, she only plots debates.  
Revenge heroical, Meekness cowardice:  
Pardon, (〈◊〉 wrongs) indignities.  
The haughty, proud, and insolent, she makes  
The Minions of her Court, who undertakes  
A course by wrong, If he grow thereby great,  
She wills hold fast, to give for no intreat.  
He is her prudent, her provident, her bank,  
Him she commends, inhibites to be frank.  
And he that will the contrary embrace,  
(The prodigal) that spends in virious case,  
Bounty, who promiseth, performeth not,  
Is truly politic, and not a s●●▪  
She blinds▪ men's eyes▪ the mean, they may not see,  
The mean is Vice, Vertue● th'extreme degree.  
A thousand counterfeits of virtues deeds,  
She gives for currant, and truthes-bearing seeds.   

The Spider and the Toad (both venomous)  
Are each to other deadly odious:  
So Pride and Envy, borne infernal twins, 
Pride & Envy.   
Hold mutual war, but Envy still begins.   

This hag haunts me, where I am, there is she,  
Her works and mine, as light and dark agree.  
She in despite, pervertes the ways I teach,  
Where I affect, she seeks to make a breach.  
Whom I advance, she plots to hurl him down,  
From basest abject, to th'imperial crown.   

How did She instigate those bloody hearts? 
Envy plotted the Powder Treason.   
How kept She concord of so many parts?  
That plotted lately, that strange Strategeme,  
That aimed, not only to the Diadem,  
The Stock and Branches of admired State,  
To Prince, and Princess pure, and Potentate:  
But Arts, and Artistes, and Religion,  
Had felt together, sad subversion?  
But that the power, that curbs her deepest despi●●,  
From darkest cell, brought devils device to light.  
World's wonder, how this hideous hag could find,  
So many, knit firm in infernal mind:  
But that, whom she once windeth in her clue,  
Seldom untwist, or liberty renew.  
Spider-like she spins snares, stings, lets them lie,  
Whom she finds instruments for villainy:  
Else needs must some of that infernal crew,  
Disclosed the plot, though sworn to be true.  
Traitors are worse than worms, that eat the tree, 
Treason.   
Under whose bark themselves engendered be.  
Worse than the Viper, and the Moth that gnaw  
Their mother's bowels, maugre Nature's law.  
Antigonus could love a Traitor so,  
As he could plot to cirumvent his foe:  
The treason done, transforms his love to hate;  
Rejects the Traitor, person detestate.  
What then, if these reneged imps had sped?  
Th'had cut themselves, by treason, from their head.  
And seeking for their treasons, salary,  
They should have guerdon fit; like treachery.  
What Traitor thinks, another will him trust,  
That's to his Head suborned to be unjust?  
A giddy head, an idle thirst to rise;  
A heart corrupt, breeds Treason's first surmise.  
Surmising fears, his inbred plot is known,  
Suspectes ill harvest ere the seed be sown.   

If this ●oule hag, the nurse of dire despite,  
Heave at the highest, will she not excite,  
Her hateful instruments, to hurl down those,  
Of lowest rank, and yet, of force, her foes?  
In all complots, how so of spite they rise,  
On me she falsely father's th'enterprise.  
She makes Religion colour outward hate,  
Which makes the fact far the more detestate. 
Religion colour of Treason.   
Religion is the builder of estates,  
And true Obedience, her remunerates.  
Strange thing that true Religion should be foe,  
To that estate she planted, first to grow.   

This hag doth haunt me at each wished deed,  
Not to assist, but hinder lest it speed.  
Where true desert may challenge due reward,  
She frowns, and strives the gift may be debarred.  
If any prosper by my ayd-full hand,  
Her malice great, taketh sword in hand to band:  
Not one escapes, who her despite feels not,  
And oft prevails, her heart of hate is hot.   

Examples of her ugly cruelties,  
Are infinite, coloured by flatteries.  
But when the plot, hath taken it effect,  
It's found herfawne, were merely counterfeit.  
False, fraudulent, and secret undermines,  
Which when the wise do shun, than she repines.  
And vomits out her glutted g●rge of gall,  
Without respect of State imperial.  
Deceit her sword, flattery, defensive shield,  
Are her chief instruments of ●ight in field: 
envies chief weapons.   
Put by the first, the second nought avails,  
She flies, or falls, before him she assails.  
Thyself who 〈…〉  
By proof, dost find, 〈…〉  
Though showing 〈…〉  
She hates and seeks to 〈…〉   

If thou conjoin 〈…〉, to what 〈…〉▪  
Thou shalt be nee●e her, ye● without 〈…〉  
I am thy guide, this 〈…〉 〈…〉▪ 
Honour is attained by Virtue.   
Thou shalt go right, it by 〈…〉▪   

The way to 〈…〉 this 〈…〉 〈…〉,  
Is not selfe▪ force, but only of my ●●gh●  
Thou must begin, by banish me 〈…〉 ill,  
To what is good to dedicate thy will,  
And hone● life free from impiety,  
Is first and chiefest step to dignity.   

It is not acts of ancestors 〈◊〉 make,  
A virtuous man, but way●● 〈…〉  
If any vaunt him of high, honour a 〈…〉,  
And is no● virtuous, gives himself 〈…〉  
It is no praise, t▪ have a 〈…〉 worthy 〈◊〉,  
Unless the son by virtue 〈◊〉 〈…〉   

True virtue is the 〈…〉,  
Who hath not that, ●ur●●● the Noble 〈…〉  
None can be Noble, but the Virtuous,  
All Virtuous are not Noble yet generous,  
The vertuous-base, may, have an honest ●al●e,  
True generosity imports the same.   

One may be virtuous, yet not seen to rise  
To great estate, or earthly dignities:  
Though men see not▪ nor praise thy ver 〈…〉,  
Embrace them full, for inward grace ●t 〈…〉.  
If Virtue live within thy secret 〈…〉,  
She will be working, V●rtue cannot ●●st:  
Nor seldom may, for E 〈…〉 〈…〉  
Me● live in thee, or thou to 〈…〉.  
Set thou therefore, 〈…〉,  
As thou be not 〈…〉  
She will 〈…〉 wiles,  
By office, 〈…〉.  
For we 〈…〉 y place,  
Or by 〈…〉.   

She heaves 〈…〉eth, disdains, 
Fortune and Envy.   
●he fawns, & 〈…〉, constrains,  
As she for 〈…〉 d,  
Fortune 〈…〉▪  
Fortune 〈…〉, 〈…〉, ●●e ●●iles;  
The fawned, and 〈…〉 with equal wiles.  
Trust not 〈…〉,  
Ficklen 〈…〉 ●●e 〈…〉▪  
And falsely imitate 〈…〉,  
Which gives, nor 〈…〉 (respecting men) ●●ward:  
But as the heart 〈…〉,  
So high, or low, con〈…〉.  
What each 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 wrest,  
The good to ill the ill 〈◊〉 〈…〉▪   

Thou hast had 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 o,  
Be constant, walk 〈◊〉 〈…〉. 
Envy 〈◊〉 posite to Virtue.   
Cons●rt not 〈…〉 base,  
Were thou ● branch of most high honours race.  
Refrain the way, where 〈…〉 d,  
I will conduct where 〈…〉 de  
Though 〈…〉,  
Like subtle 〈…〉 I have.   

To place polluted 〈…〉 the ●●lth of 〈…〉,  
She will in●i●e forbears 〈…〉▪  
What I command, 〈…〉,  
What I foe 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 〈…〉.  
Be not too rash what 〈◊〉 bi●●●ndertake,  
Attempt it not, by me, first trial make.  
What I advise, if thou revolt and fly,  
(Feigning consent) it is hypocrisy.  
The Truth is naked, Craft is clothed with guile,  
None use deceit, but are deceived the while.   

Embrace the words and documents I teach,  
Let not this hag, make in thee smallest breach:  
For it she set foot, in thy heart, and find  
Foundation fit, in thine unstable mind:  
Hard to remove her from the Ci●●●●ll,  
She in thy heart plants, and prepares to dwell.  
Armies of Vice and Vanities will be  
At her command, and over master thee.   

The chiefest point that first thou art to seek▪  
Is that true wisdom, which makes haughty meek. 
Wisdom   
It is not Nature's gift, as Nature stands  
Polluted, but given by Diviner hands:  
Man's nature knows not things celestial,  
No not itself, and parts material.  
But only as they seem, them takes and holds,  
The cause material, and the formal moulds.  
The perfect, and imperfect outward parts,▪  
Not th'in clinations of imperfect hearts.   

Speech, motion, breathing, sickness, health, and light,  
Are somewhat subject to weak Nature's sight:  
But who, where, how, wherefore men are; to know  
Is given by grace, doth not by Nature grow.   

In show the impious may appear upright,  
And see some steps of Truth, by Nature's light:  
But brought unto Truths test, it's found but dross  
That flies, and vaporates, and brings but loss. 
Youth and age.    

The young and old are apt to hide their ill▪  
(That comes by Nature) not to●● be the will:  
Unsettled in their judgements, young men are,  
The aged feeble, yet of deeper care.  
The idle froth of youthful fuming brain,  
Must be cast off by Wisdom, to contain,  
Not to consent to all what th'heart' would have,  
Nor to effect all Appetite doth crave.  
In doubtful things, give not too rash consent,  
Lust buys too dear a rash experiment: 
Concupiscence brings ●●ame.   
Her present pleasures, with succeeding pain,  
Content, with grief, both, with perturbed brain.  
Continuing lust, gets hateful Impudence,  
Infamy and shame succeed concupiscence,   

Young years in some, have old experience,  
And aged men the least intelligence:  
But it's observed, soon rots that ripes too fast, 
Soon ripe soo●rotten.   
A sudden flame, is no long-lasting blast:  
True Wisdoms seed, sown in the greenest head,  
Watered by grace, doth quickly branch and spread:  
So do the humours of unstable mind  
Grow strong or weak, as Fancies are inclined.  
A life contemplative in things Divine,  
Brings hurtful humours under, that repine.   

It's not the Cloister, or the Hermit life,  
That keeps perturbed mind from inward strife:  
But constancy in virtues exercise  
Which he obtains that best Philosophies:  
That by true reason can his judgement guide,  
Which he can not, that is not rectifide.   

This Wisdom doth in words and deeds consist, 
Nature renewed   
Not in the Will, that worketh what it list:  
But in the Will, by grace Divine renewed,  
And in the sense, by Nature new endued.  
This Nature sows, in minds prepared, the seed,  
That bears the fruit, whence will and work proceed.   

This changed nature, and reform, sways  
In some degree, the mind that most estrays.  
Some spark she leaves, 〈◊〉 minds polluted most,  
Which most neglect, and deem it merely lost▪  
This Nature will require, what first it gave,  
As well what'th vicious as the virtuous have:  
Though they forget, and make no use of it,  
Excuse, but vain, framed by the finest wit.   

There is a light, within the darkest mind, 
Every man hath a spark of Divine light.   
Though it shine not, none can pretend him blind:  
For, he that sues, and soon consents to ill,  
Feels yet a law, that countermands the will.  
The will yet obstinate, performs the fact,  
That light within doth witness the contract:  
That light will shine unto the conscience,  
And will reveal, most hid concupiscence.   

The things indeed thou must avoid, and do,  
Are in effect in general, but two:  
To fly, what Envy eggs thee to effect,  
To do what I, in contrary direct. 
Envy & Lust, comprehend all forbidden things.   
Under the name of Envy, and of Lust,  
Is comprehended, what I hold unjust.   

Pride, Envy, Cruelty, and Avarice,  
Deceit, Hypocrisy, and flatteries,  
Presumption, and prodigality,  
Ingratitude, Hate, Sloth, and Gluttony,  
And many other things forbidden, rest,  
Harboured and hug'd in every doting breast.   

Earth's pleasures, vanities, carnal delights,  
Are Nature's content, not guided by my rites.  
As many Senses as the body bears,  
So many appetites Affection rears:  
Each pleasure's proper to some Sense alone,  
The rest then sleep, or are content with none.  
The thing beloved, delights the longing eye,  
The other Senses, silent willingly.  
The eye suffi●'d, the ear partakes her share:  
The taste, smell, feeling, all propensive are  
To feed affection, and abuse the heart,  
Which errs, led by polluted Natures Arte.  
When each hath yielded, what his office gives,  
The heart misguided, thinks it much relieves.  
And when the heart, whence springs affection,  
Hath ●edde at full, of false refection,  
Then hungers it anew, for new delight,  
What fancy likes, it holds most exquisite.  
The changes of fond fancies appetites,  
Are infinite, seeming a while delights▪  
Forth with they grow unto such harsh distaste,  
Others are had, fit fuel for a blast.  
New choice, new change, strangest varieties,  
Are sweet awhile, in fine, perplexities.   

Affection, guided by Reason Divine,  
Shuts up the outward, opes the inward eyen:  
Avoids earth's pleasures, treacherous and short,  
Seeks pleasures, which eternity import.  
The pleasures which determine, be not best, 
Pleasure permanent.   
Nor long content the mind, wherein they rest.  
Pleasures alone, that inwardly are bred,  
And by right reason nourished and ●ed,  
Shall never change, though outward senses die,  
Their inward joys shall live eternally.   

Let thy delight be then, in what doth last,  
Sport sparingly, in that may bring distaste.  
The weakest worm, hath motion to aspire,  
Knows not yet whether it rise or retire:  
No more knows he, that fancieth this and that,  
Where, or what mark it is he aimeth at.  
The brutest beast, seeks and desires to have,  
What so his brutish appetite doth crave.  
Resembling those, that what they see, affect,  
Though ill have not, true reason to reject.   

The mind doth long, the will consents and takes,  
Lawful, or not, as minds delight, it makes:  
But if the will, and full affection be  
In earths delights, it makes a bond, of free.  
As pleasures come, they fawn, as harlots do:  
But past, the mind left stung, they come into.   

I● outward act o● thy delight regain,  
More inward force▪ t'exhilerate thy brain,  
Dulled with the practice of true virtues deeds,  
Be moderate, and then no ill it breeds.   

And for the choice of ●it companions, 
Choice of companions.   
To pass the time in recreations,  
Look not upon them, as they only seem,  
Nor think them fit, in show of good esteem:  
But try the humours and the inward mind,  
Before consort, prove how they stand inclined:  
If they affectate vicious words and deeds,  
Abandon them, scurrility it breeds.  
And in thy recreative disports take heed,  
Thou lose not that thy inward grace may feed.  
Thy constancy and magnanimity,  
By wantonness, and effeminacy:  
No recreation deeds more infamy,  
Then to bestow dear time in gamestrie.  
Dicing beseems no men of gravity,  
But brands them with the mark of levity,  
Of frenzy▪ indiscretion, wanting wit,  
With these the sagest Romans branded it.   

Let virtues acts, be cherished in thee,  
So shalt thou keep thy mind (assailed) free.  
Virtue a power, ruling the inward part,  
Brings into order the disordered ●●art,  
And sets th'appetite in so comely frame,  
It thirsts for nought, but Reason holds the same. 
Goods.    

One thing among a multitude, is had  
In great esteem, which makes the gainer glad:  
It bears the name, which trul'it cannot take,  
Goods: yet not good, for good it cannot make.  
It rather makes the good indeed the worse,  
●exing the mind for goods to fill the purse.   

When inward heart doth rest in settled peace,  
If thou thy health, thy limbs, and sense possess,  
What more can wealth, and great abundance bring,  
But fear to lose (and lost) thy sorrowing?  
In getting much is great perplexity,  
In keeping it as much timidity.  
But grief of griefs to leave it when he dies,  
Can that be good, that breeds such miseries?  
Can houses, lands, can gold or silver give  
To minds distract, harts-Mummy to relieve?  
Can jewels of the highest price abate  
A fever heckticke, or the darts of hate?   

Be not too bold, to riot of thy store, 
Prodigality   
Though thou be sure supply will bring thee more:  
A mountain wasteth with soft drops of rain,  
And wasted once, hardly supplied again:  
Therefore if fortune fill thy fist with gold,  
Spend, yet, in spending, be not too too bold.  
Nor spare it so as if thy heart had not,  
Some other, and far more releyving lot,   

Some know no other bounty then to spend,  
Yet can propound therein no lawful end.  
The wise yet find, idle expending vain,  
They spend in measure and a mean retain.  
Not prodigal, as if it could not waste,  
Nor too sparing, fearing, to want at last:  
annoying these two strong extremes of ill,  
They find the mean doth purchase most good will:   

They that embrace and love earths excrements,  
Love only things compact of elements,  
Which by their composition have defects,  
One chief predominant, the rest rejects:  
For when the elements do disagree,  
The bodies long continuance cannot be.  
So he that sets his mind on money most,  
Hath use of sacred virtue merely lost:  
For earthly pelf, and virtue, contraries,  
Agree as fire and waters qualities:  
And as the fire, predominant prevails,  
And all confining fuel still assails,  
So love of lucre doth increase and rise,  
As riches rise, and earths felicities.  
riches are good if owner knows to use them,  
But merely hurtful; if he do abuse them.   

When thy desire, begins to grow to strong, 
Desire.   
Give it not head, nor foster it too long:  
It hards the heart and sotteth so the brain,  
It makes commit the foulest things for gain,   

A common fault reigns in polluted breast, 
Lying.   
And cloaked oft, by deep, yet false protest,  
To gain vainglory by the mass of pelf,  
Some sell a lie for loss of soul itself:  
Incident to most, respecting mysteries,  
Respecting persons, great diversities:  
But they that have the habit in the heart,  
Can colour it by nimbleness of art.  
But what they gain is like unto the lie,  
It seems, but is not, as appears to eye;  
The hearers heart, deceived by false relate,  
So is the liar by the gain he gate.  
For, what he gains, by false protests, consumes,  
As snow in sun, and as light vapour fumes.   

This hag, my foe prescribes this false receipt,  
To nature sick, which works in men deceit:  
Nature corrupt finds sweetness of this drug,  
Fancy affecting, doth the potion hug,  
Drinks first a dram: then quaffs of falsity,  
vomits at last whole floods of perjury.   

Lying a grievous sickness of the mind,  
And's where wants Reason or where Reason's blind.  
Cured by right Reason or by public shame,  
Who loves to lie, hates yet a liars name,  
A liar ever is rewarded best,  
Not to believe him though he do protest▪  
Pope Alexander Sextus never did 
●●icclardi●●   
The thing he spoke, and Cesar Borgia hid  
His inward thought, and spoke the contrary,  
Father and Son of deep hypocrisy.   

If power and place may seem thee to permit,  
To act the thing by law thou thinkest fit.  
Be not too rash, consult with reason first,  
And do not thou but what right Reason dirst: 
Reason and Law.   
The law without, rules not the mind within,  
What Law may do the mind may think it sin:  
The law commands, some things it tolerates,  
The first exacts, the second moderates:  
Four virtues hath each law that governeth,  
I● sways, forbids, permits, and punisheth,  
In these right Reason moderator stands,  
Contracts and suits, in justice, pass her hands.  
The laws extremes are too exorbitant  
That to right Reason are disconsonant:  
Therefore the mean in case of difference,  
Best equalzeth law and Conscience.  
How impious is't, and yet a common crime,  
Grossly to err, and make it yet pastime: 
To do 〈…〉 and boast it.   
Many presume, and foulest facts commit,  
Blush not to tell it, rather glory in it.  
They hold their infamy a badge of grace,  
They make, and cast their own dirt in their face:  
These are the men, whose lives the world laments,  
Their deaths untimely, bring as great contents,  
These are the forth and scum of envies train,  
She breeds a swarm of vices in their brain.   

Some do deny, or forge their faults offence 
The greatest fault is to defend it.   
With shift or lie, or by some hid pretence,  
This aggravates the fault more than the fact,  
Confession lessens guilt of foulest act,  
By art some shroud their inclinations long,  
Conceiling nature, yet when't waxeth strong,  
It breaketh forth, in perfect colours seen,  
What seemed, seemly, found to be unclean.  
Dissembling holiness and sanctity, 
Reform thyself before thou reprove.   
Are th'only pictures of impiety.   

If thou hold not true mean in what thou dost▪  
In judging others art the more unjust:  
Reform thyself, and then command, correct,  
judge when thou hast repaired thine own defect.  
If thou be just and constant in thy deed,  
Whom thou exhorts will take the surer heed.  
It's easy to give counsel and direct,  
To hear as easy, harder to effect,   

In consultations see thou still consort 
Consult with the wise.   
With men of virtue, and of best report:  
No Counsel steeds, ●east it true wisdom guide,  
It prospers not, not by her rectifi'de  
Wisdom is slow, in resolution  
Resolved: constant in execution.  
But if the counsell-giver be not wise,  
Consult a new, before the enterprise:  
Advised policy cannot but be,  
The best assurance, wit of man can see,  
In most attempts, steeds magnanimity,  
But never (but by chance) temerity.  
But howsoever, things well plotted, fall,  
Be thou the same (constant) grudge not at all:  
For I will fortify thy heart anew,  
And good content shall futurely ensue.   

As thou consistest of two contraries 
Nature and Grace.   
Nature, and grace, seeming unities:  
So are there in thee two distinct desires,  
Carnal downward, spirit'all upward aspires.  
Whether of these predominant in thee,  
carries consent where thine affections be,  
What thou affectest is thy best delight.  
If it be earthly it's my opposite:  
That delectation, how sweet soever,  
Is but conceit, conceited to persever.  
Yet fades on sudden, as a morning mist,  
And of like substance, all the like consist.  
As far as doth the Sun exceed a star:  
Heavenly delights, the earth's, exceed as far   

None set delight in pleasures here below,  
But such as the superior do not know.  
If once true judgement thy opinion sway,  
Affection, cannot lead thy will astray. 
Spiritual pleasures.    

Accustom thee to joys spiritual,  
They comfort most though supernatural  
Nature's delights are sweet to outward sense,  
Sour in effect, breeding in fine offence:  
Honey sweet in taste, yet if the silly Bee,  
While thou dost taste, bestow her sting on thee.  
Thou wilt be wary in thy second taste,  
Pleasures have stings, when their delights are past,  
Then satisfy thou not fond fantasy,  
It darkens sense and blindeth Reason's eye.  
The more thy fancy is fulfilled and ●ed,  
More strength it takes, and more perverts the head.   

Pleasures are like a whorish painted face, 
●alse delights   
Only in show, void yet of inward grace,  
The taste of pleasures to the outward part,  
Is seeming sweet, within polluteth the heart,  
Carnal delights are foolish fancies joys,  
Right Reason's guide abandons them as toys.   

A thousand things by fancy are affected, 
Fancy   
Not one of ten, accordingly, effected:  
A gulf itself, a gulf of grief it makes,  
It is self bane, and still self bane it takes,  
Sensual delights, She falsely holds divine,  
Yet work they dangerous effects in fine,  
And though men laugh that live licentiously,  
They laugh at loss of their felicity,  
Mad men, and ●ooles, do laugh at injuries,  
And wittingly embrace their miseries,   

Some err in diet, staff of man's relief, 
●i●●.   
Be temperate for gurmondy brings grief:  
Most danger grows by gross satiety,  
But never any by sobriety,  
Yet often, hurts, to be too abstinent:  
In mean, is Nature, (ruled) best content,  
When vulgar congees yield thee most all hail,  
Think then some monster seeks thee to assail:  
Stick to thy virtues to defend thy fame,  
No other weapons, can protect the same.   

The idle vapours of the vulgar rise, 
fickleness of ulgar censures.   
And fall again, as favour lives or dies.  
The fawns, and frowns resemble well the Bee,  
When sun doth thine they swarm and sing we see:  
But in a black and gloomy day they lie,  
Within the hive: Thus they observe the sky,  
So when on th' vulgar rays of favour shine,  
They fawn, let favour fail, their loves decline.  
And like a monster fawning; to be fed,  
Failing of food, gripes keeper on the head.   

Sometimes the great, fall from their outward grace, 
Patience in Disgrace.   
To low estate and ignominious case:  
What then can his perplexed mind content,  
That seees redresles dangers imminent?  
Ready to fall, he flies, and seeks to shun,  
The ill he fears, from which he cannot run,  
In this sad strait there is one remedy,  
To make a virtue of necessity▪  
That's to embrace what he cannot forego,  
To die the death if force determine so,  
Where virtue dwells, there dwells true sapience,  
The mother, nurse, and life of patience.   

Virtue resembles Aaron's sacred wand,  
That buddeth blessings, held in working hand, 
Virtue.   
But cast to ground- breeds serpent in thy breast,  
In life and death let thy heart be her nest.  
There will sh●bud and bring forth sacred deeds  
Devouring all the serpent's spawn that br breeds   

The wise, strong, carnally magnanimous, 
Carnally wise   
Have virtues habit, hearts prodigious:  
For that foul hag, the dame of false delights,  
Gives outward glory to her favourites,  
She moves the mind she works th'affection,  
As only Lady of direction:  
She paints the baits, affection sucks delight,  
Lu●'d in Lust's lap, the better parts despite.  
High this infernal hag and her enchants,  
It's not for good the seeming best she grants.   

She doth excite to gross and vild attempts,  
And by protests, all danger she exempts:  
And by degrees she wins the doubting mind,  
She frames the baits, as she finds minds inclined.   

Ambitious minds, meanly incensed to rise, 
Ambition   
She lifts a little to low dignities:  
Then tenders she matters of greater sort,  
Sugiesting those, their glory much import.  
Then who so stands in way where they must pass,  
Must down, a Diadem, or head of brass, 
Vainglory.   
And when these silly subjects of her frauds,  
Are at the highest, them she than applauds,  
Feeds them with fawns, and false security,  
Plotting the while against them treachery,  
They must not stand, sufficeth her to see,  
Her plots prevail and them in high degree.  
Soon she repines, at their advanced state,  
She trips their heels, whom she did elevate.   

Whom she observes vain gloriously bend,  
She shows false means to make more excellent:  
To gain him grace, the mean is to exceed  
All of his rank, in cost and form of weed.  
Spending gets glory, sparing but disdain,  
He's too mistrustful, if he save, or gain.  
Spares not spends all, at last deprived of all,  
Then she obr aids him as too prodigal,   

She leaves no heart unsearched what she detects: 
Enuics observations.   
Is fundamental ground for her projects:  
Some are by inclination niggardly,  
Them she persuades to live more thriftily.  
Until they grow most avaricious,  
Sugiesting them yet too too prodigious.  
And when they are in highest honour set  
To gain; she snares and takes them in her net.   

Concupiscence, the bane of best estates, 
Concupiscence   
Though most pestiferous, she extenuates;  
She shows it in a glass of liberty,  
To make it seem love, and no levity;  
Yet fastens she a foil of deep disgrace,  
Grief in the heart, Shame in the outward face.   

A mind inclined to hateful jealousy 
jealousy.   
She feeds, with strong deluding fantasy,  
And lays the counterfeit, so like in show,  
As if it were the thing he sought to know:  
And when she hath the strong suspicion wrought,  
She breeds him Envy, for the thing he thought;  
A greater sickness sacketh not the mind,  
Then this that seems to see, and yet is blind,  
It doth pretend the quintessence of love,  
▪ And yet condempnes the part 'twould approve.   

What is the thing man's heart incline unto  
How ill soever, but she eggs to do?  
And done, appears to those in ugly wise,  
Whom she seduced, and them she terrifies.   

What brings revenge, the act of foul despite; 
Revenge.   
Vainglory egged by Envy to the fight?  
When light occasion moves the mind to rage,  
What head so light, will lay his life in gage?  
Who leaves his foe in field dead, combat done,  
Grief and repentance are the gain he won:  
Where hearts affect revenge, she lays the plot,  
Hearts coldly hateful, she fires and makes hot;  
Suggesting him a coward that remits  
The smallest wrong; yet when th'offender smits',  
She eggs the smitten to that deadly hate,  
That each must other kill or vulnerate.  
And him that wins the prize with best content,  
She d●th pursue death, or banishment.   

〈…〉 glory, and excess in needless pride, 
〈…〉.   
Resemble Phaenton, (vainglorious guide)  
That mounted on the charet of the Sun,  
Could not cheek, nor manage horses run;  
No more can he that gives his will the bit,  
It ●●nnes to riot, cannot manage it.   

What gains the avaricious, but his cares 
advance.   
To ●et and keep what he in vain prepares?  
He fits secure, yet suddenly befall  
A thousand deadly dangers corporal;  
Besides the grief, that he must needs depart  
From that false god, he honours in his heart.  
What deadly fear, amazeth him to see  
The ghastly gulf, whence no escape can be?   

How prise men lust, brutish concupiscence, 
Concupiscence   
That brings so many griefs for recompense?  
It is the pledge, and earnest of that shame:  
Of force, succeeding, sorrow-winning game:  
Short seeming-sweet, sharp in the final taste,  
A brutish rage byth' brutish held repast.   

The errors infinite that do distract  
The minds of men, in purpose and in fact:  
To tell them all were a superfluous deed,  
Not one of all, but this fowl hag doth breed:  
She shows the thing, though most pernicious,  
In a false glass to make it glorious.   

Fly and resist the practice of this witch,  
Scoop not unto her lure, nor soar her pitch,  
Of smallest spark of thy priest wills desire,  
She kindles thirst, and longing to aspire,  
Distasting then what present fortunes be,  
No true content, or peace, can lodge in thee.  
Envy, Despite, and hateful Emulation,  
Lust, Lucre, and unbridled Ambition,  
Will be the fuel of thy fuming brain,  
The smoke thy smother, thy disgrace the gain,  
Inward distastes, thy hardened hearts untest  
Shall be the banquet, thou sad sorrows guest.   

Oh fly her, follow me, live and learn my law,  
Thy truest freedom is of me thine awe:  
My strongest hate, is hate to hateful vice,  
My love I level to the virtuous wise;  
To such as shun the painted paths of lust,  
Set not delight in things compact of dust;  
Nor tide, nor tempest, can drive them to doubt,  
Assailed they stand, a Lion not more stout.  
Foes fright them not, threats breed in them no feat,  
Poor state grieves not, nor daunts whatso they hear:  
Hope being helmet, Confidence their shield,  
Assurance their sword, nothing can make them yield;  
Death that most dreadfully threatens and kills,  
heavens fiery gusts that fearfully distilleth,  
Thunderclaps, nor tempest, plague, nor war  
Affrights the hearts of men that virtuous are.  
But as a Ship in stormy tempest tossed,  
So he at death, in life that boasted most,  
Because true Reason pilot to the wise,  
Stirs not the heart, when storms of Fancy rise.  
Affection as a stormy gust doth drive  
The will on ground; wise he it can retrieve,  
And bring it back, by Reason to the port,  
Where I am Governess and keep the fort.  
But if it harbour where that hag doth keep,  
A seeming haven, safe, secure and deep,  
A storm ariseth, shelter than not near,  
It sinks the hope, and none can it uprear:  
The mind inconstant, swayed with every wind,  
sails every, yet no way but as the blind.   

The blind in light, are always in the dark; 
Inconstancy.   
So he that is inconstant aims no mark:  
Now moved with lust, revenge then seeketh he,  
Now spends, then spares; In bondage now, then free:  
Now hope, than fear; now favour, than disdain;  
Ambitious now, then in the lowest strain;  
Suspicious now, forthwith too credulous;  
Now prodigal, then avaricious.   

As are desires, so are their opposites, 
Dissimulation   
Concealed sometimes by art of hypocrites;  
A smile may cover hatred of the heart;  
Inward deceit shadowed by outward Art;  
Seeming frugality shrouds Avarice,  
Dissembling grace, a seeming benedice.   

But thou in following me shalt surely have  
No seeming succour, but the thing shall save;  
No carnal care needs much perturb the mind  
Of him whose heart is virtuously inclined; 
The virtuous.   
To him is fullness, peace, plenty, content,  
Never distracted by most cross event;  
He still is one, Fancy, Affection,  
Envy, Revenge are in subjection:  
Sufficeth to be virtuous indeed,  
Not only seeming, having but the weed;  
The theoric, wanting the practic part,  
With speculation, must be use of Art:  
Else when the storms of meanest crosses rise,  
They hold sad silence, or give childish cries;  
If griefs within, nor cries without prevail,  
Their wits becalmed, float without a sail.  
Then steps this hag unto the helm and steers;  
Hoiseth her sails, aloof off Grace she bears:  
Launching the Bark into most unious seas,  
Among ragged rocks of horror hearts disease;  
Then falls the Bark upon the rock of Pride,  
Lust beats her then, and boulgeth th'other side;  
Ambition breaks the prow, Envy the keel,  
The storms of Blasphemies make t'hull to reel:  
The masts and shrouds of Reason lacerate,  
With bullets of Despair in that estate.  
Then hovers Hope, having redreslesse leaks,  
In gaining anchor, Surance-cable breaks;  
Some swimming haste to shore, leave Fancies bark  
Unto the hag, rent, floating in the dark.  
They work again for life of inward grace,  
Then th'hag leaves helm, & hath these (scaped) in chase,  
They cry to me, I reach the hand and save them  
From that fowl hag that makes pursuit to have them:  
Then she retires and seizeth on the rest,  
Makes them her folly slaves, she first possessed;  
She chains them then, feeds them with false delight,  
And makes them row the Bark of her despite,  
They are the instruments of her complots,  
For prize she gets, her silly slaves cast lots:  
Their shares are griefs and sorrows preparatives;  
Their seeming pleasures, conscience corrosives,  
Yet seems to bless them with a thousand joys,  
But what she doth or says found deadl' annoys.   

How can she bless, that is a cursed sot,  
How can she grace, who grace hath never got?  
She leads men back, in show they forward run,  
She keeps them dark, yet feigns them in the Sun;  
In words she seems to be right rule of grace,  
In works, and wiles the worst of hellish race;  
Who frame their fancies, as she doth, or says,  
Are most unhappy in their happi'st days:  
The more to move the ignorant to err,  
She shows their glory, whom she doth prefer.   

Examples more prevail in good or ill, 
〈…〉.   
Then Counsel doth, to win, or wrest the will:  
Therefore examples she propounds and shows,  
Of good success, never of overthrows:  
Her fautors rising, not their falls reveals,  
Their seeming joys their inward griefs conceals,  
Nothing but pleasures she depaints to lure,  
Allur'd, pretends they cannot but endure.   

What pleasure can be truly pleasing long, 
●●a●ure 〈…〉 t   
Although Affection be never so strong?  
It waxeth weak, and then the pleasure dies,  
Although by art the same she fortifies:  
The Power may die, and yet the Will may live,  
If Will be dead, the Power can not it give:  
The will doth work the act, act not the will,  
Yet weakest will increas'th by active skill.  
For, Custom, is a second Nature's Nurse, 
●u●●ome.   
Best actions may by custom wax far worse;  
Yet Custom is not simply dangerous,  
Though in the worse part suspicious.  
Of slender spark ariseth mighty flame,  
But not unless fit matter feed the same.  
So where as Custom sets it foot to rise,  
In ill, subdue her lest she tyrannize,  
While she is young she may be managed,  
But growing old, she will be strong in head;  
But ever weakest is she found to be,  
When she should work the minds of men to me.  
And when she frames her will to aid my foe,  
She's priest; the hag needs not constrain her go.  
Yet not of her her selfe-inclination,  
But as men's minds have preparation.  
For though she seem a Princess by her law,  
She is not absolute, but under awe;  
She doth command, the minds she can surprise,  
(The seeming so) but not the truly wise:  
By nature men are pro●nest to do ill,  
Without an outward prompter of the will:  
And where she finds the will prepared so,  
She feeds affection as fond fancies go:  
She offers still occasion of her aid,  
Still building more upon the plot she laid.   

Thus custom altars, or begets anew,  
A nature, which at first, herself withdrew;  
Both good and ill she can transform, and make  
As is the heart apt good or ill to take.   

She's agent both for that fowl hag, and me;  
Regards not much whose instrument she be:  
But ●hat my foe hath her attendance most,  
She brings me only those that hag hath lost.  
Decrepit, feeble, aged, impotent;  
The wronged, oppressed, lowly, indigent,  
They that by her despite and pleasing charms,  
Have found her witchcraft, and do feel their harms:  
Not yet by nature, but b'instinct of grace,  
That only light bewrays her ugly face.   

Fly her, her pleasures and false instruments,  
And set thy heart right on my rudiments,  
I am delight, my ways and works delight,  
My pleasures please not carnal appetite,  
Heroic acts, that make men honourable,  
Are only sweet, and most inestimable,  
The rest are false, found mere scurrility,  
By which some loose, both fame and dignity:  
But such as have me patroness and guide,  
Shall never fall howso they seem to slide:  
They shall withstand, and get the victory  
Over that hag and hellish company:  
Whose conquest far exceeds the manli'st hand  
That sways a sword, none stronger can withstand.   

The life of man hath two distinct delights, 
Two kinds of pleasures con●ra●●e.   
Contraries, each to other opposites;  
One seeming not, yet is delight indeed;  
The other seems, but is not of the seed.  
The seeming not is blemished with spite,  
Which makes it seem sad sorrow, not delight;  
The seeming, is, as it is found to be.  
Sweet in the first, sharp in the last degree:  
One seems contempt, and yet is glorious,  
Th'other glory, yet ignominious.   

The issues of these two delights do show  
Whence either takes, the root and sap to grow,  
The first doth spring from my loves influence,  
And bears Content, fair fruit of Sapience;  
The other issuing from polluted head,  
Defiles the organ, through the which 'tis led;  
And whoso tasteth of that poisoned spring,  
Infatuates, or dieth murmuring.   

The wife in me, by me do learn to shun 
Experience.   
Harms to themselves, as others harms have run:  
And if thou see some run this Maze awry,  
Conceive the curuing, cross the wisest eye;  
Therefore I wish thee to observe and take,  
My rudiments aright, and trial make,  
By inward exercise and meditation,  
And by true practice sweetest recreation.   

Proud hearts are high, yet grovel on the ground,  
The meek look up, where true content is found,  
And that content is planted in the heart,  
Watered and pruned, by right Reason's art;  
And bears the branches of those true delights,  
That spread abroad in hearts of Proselytes.  
True Converts, who from Ethnic Envy came,  
And gain them grace, and glory in my name.   

If thou have Honour's birth or dignity, 
W●●● what the honourable should deck ●●em.   
Adorn it more and more with piety,  
With justice, mercy, and true patience,  
With constancy and heavenly sapience,  
With humbleness, true magnanimity,  
With love, with providence, and policy:  
Thus thou adorned with celestial gems,  
Shalt far exceed the far more honoured stems;  
Let name and nature, heart and hand agree,  
Let Honour's name be dignified in thee;  
For I approve the parts, the person not,  
But only so, as he approves his lot.  
Birth is the badge that shows from whom men came,  
Not much material, base or noble name.   

Of base degree, I raise, and set aloft, 
The noble and base are interchangeable.   
The noble birth, abused, I check as oft;  
It's not the sire that dignifies the son,  
Nor him disgraceth; but grace lost and won:  
A noble birth may be disgraced and fall,  
The base may rise by acts heroical:  
As greatness grows to ripeness, and to ro●,  
So basest rise, and come to highest lot.   

Some are of noble stock derived far  
From William's conquest, yet in's Arms a bar,  
That bars him not from higher honours state,  
(By due desert) than he th'first honour gate:  
There was at first no difference in degrees,  
Time brought forth Honour, and indignities.   

How came men first of equals differing,  
Advanced some; some contrary, declining?  
The first, magnanimous and valorous,  
The second, ba●e of mind, and cowardous;  
The first, approved by prowess in the field,  
The second, faint, unhardy, prone to yield;  
The first, to Letters, and to wisdoms law,  
The second, to vain vicious ways gave awe;  
The first, by gravity gate government,  
The second, wanton, graceless, male content;  
The first, g●te honour, sceptre, sword and crown;  
The second, shame, disgrace, and public frown:  
These were originals ●f cac●●d egree▪  
As men were led by that fowl hag▪ or me.  
These changes hold, by providence Divine,  
The virtuous grow, the vicious decline.  
And though the generals in heads but twain,  
The branches infinite, they both sustain:  
And as there are in Greatness, steps to rise,  
So many downfalls, in their contraries:  
If that fowl hag my opposite have place,  
No honour riseth but with deep disgrace▪   

My ways resemble ●ugar in their kind, 
The effects of virtue.   
Sweet in themselves, and sweeten all the mind,  
Make crosses light, and easy to be borne,  
Digested, pleasant, cheering the forlorn:  
The love of me abandous love of lust,  
True trust in me infeebles carnal trust.  
In whom I rule, and he be ruled by me,  
All difficulties to him easy be.   

It is a matter difficult to find, 
N 〈…〉 and.   
By Nature how another is inclined;  
No● is't my will, thou shouldst dive deep to know  
How others stand; but how thyself dost grow.  
But if a public note, by art thou see,  
judge, yet not rashly till the issue be.  
For he may rise, or suffer for his guilt;  
And thou mayst fall, by building as he built,  
A happy precedent▪ that doth fore-teach,  
Before a flood to stop a doubted breach:  
When others harms far off thou dost behold,  
Think thine are near, Wisdom not rashly bold:  
If thou perceive an error in thy friend,  
judge not, advise; None happy till the end. 
Desert and Bounty.    

When due desert may challenge thy regard,  
True Bounty rests not in a bare reward:  
But Favours eye, preferring will and might,  
Give all their aid, to yield deserver right:  
And when thou seest, by feigned readiness,  
One to assume selfe-greatest worthiness,  
Think greatest boasters are not best of deed,  
A cable-show in substance, spider's thread. 
Envy.    

When hateful Envy stands envenomed,  
To spew her malice on best qualitied,  
Let them be silent, silence works her shame,  
No outward force, but inward makes her tame:  
She flies when I resist, she falls, and dies,  
When I encounter her with verities;  
Her force is Falsehood, Flattery, Disdain,  
These over-gorge her, she cannot contain.   

Fowl Envy, blindness, and true virtues light, 
envies blindness.   
Resemble Egypt when 'twas dark and light;  
Where I enlighten, darkness vanisheth,  
Black darkness where that hag inhabiteth;  
None comprehend my light, but they that have it,  
They hate that darkness, and the hag that gave it. 
virtues light, and envies blindness.    

My light resembles that celestial place,  
Her darkness hell, deprived of light and grace;  
Mine is a mount of joy, hers gulf of grief,  
Mine gives content: hers bar to all relief;  
Her charmed venom strong, strong her despite▪  
Whereby she draws the weak to her delight:  
And to deceive, she counterfeits true light,  
That they that can not judge, may deem it right.  
She sets fowl vizard on the fairest face,  
And on her own depaints dissembling grace;  
Depraving me, she seeks her own renown,  
And in conceit she stands, and hurls me down.  
She slanders those that I do train aright,  
By it supposing to increase her might.  
She makes hers seem by outward ornaments,  
Worlds happy ones, and mine as malcontents:  
But Plants may seem to live, dead yet in heart,  
And seeming dead, may live in inward part.   

Man's twofold life, a twofold death declares▪ 
As life, so death twofold.   
The one of each all men see how it fares;  
For, that men live, and that they die, men see,  
Their inward life, or death, not how they be;  
Therefore rash censure I forbid to give,  
The living, dead, the seeming dead may live.   

As censure sound, or partial doom affords, 
Censures uncertain.   
So are men held; A public error words.  
Words work report, Report, fame, good or bad,  
The fame oft false, grieving, or making glad.   

The badge that best assures what others be, 
▪ All outward shows deceive.   
Is gesture, act, and countenance men seen  
All these deceive, and therefore rest content,  
Search not, judge not, but leave it to event.   

Thyself, I wish thou wouldst thyself unfold  
Unto thyself. In secret, who not bold?  
What in thyself by due scrutation  
Thou findest, make it a law or caution;  
A law to live in awful temperance,  
A caution to prevent more arrogance,  
So shalt thou settle peace within thy mind,  
A wall of brass before thee and behind:  
Who or what so encounters thee thus guarded,  
Shall fall or fly; and thou stand, and rewarded.   

A thousand censurers will look on thee,  
As are affections, so their censures be;  
The vicious, to the vicious virtuous,  
The virtuous to the vicious odious.   

Who builds a house, or doth some public acts,  
Stands on the stage of flatteries and detracts:  
If he be valorous, then desperate;  
If he be a coward, then considerate;  
If he be bountiful, then prodigal;  
If he be covetous, wise and frugal;  
If he be civil, than a seely sot;  
If he be insolent, fit for what not?  
If he be affable, then base of kind;  
If he be arrogant, of gallant mind;  
If he be proud, a comely parsonage;  
If mean in tire, fit for no equipage;  
If he grow great, he is ambitious;  
If mean, content, he is infatuous;  
If truly zealous, than a Puritan;  
If irreligious, great Politician.   

A world of wonders, this world's wonders maze,  
None see themselves, yet all on others gaze;  
A foreign fault men see; not selfe-estrays.  
The guiltiest censure, the less guiltless ways;  
Fret not at this, faint not, nor be dismayed,  
From Clown to Keisar, all are thus displayed.   

Now for conclusion thus I say to all,  
To base and big, I am not partial;  
But he that sways his words and deeds by me,  
In fine shall find a Diadem for fee.   

When this Discourse this Lady fair had ended,  
And I observing whereunto it tended,  
Rightly collected what before I guessed.  
Whose persons these three vncothed gifts expressed.   

Forth with this Lady and the Hag were gone,  
And left this Passionate in cell alone;  
For though they seemed of shapes substantial,  
They have no bodies but are spirit'all:  
Yet can and do dispose themselves to be,  
Where either likes, though no man may them see.    
FINIS.