Then came we to a forte of brasse,
Where, peering through greate iron gates,
We saw a woman sit, alas!
Which ruthfully bewaylde her fates.
Her face was farre more white then snow,
And on her head a crowne shee ware,
Beset with stones, that glistered so
As hundred torches had bene there.
Her song was "Woe! and weale away!
What torments here doe I sustayne!"
A new mishap did her dismay,
Which more and more increast her payne.
An oggly creature, all in blacke,
Ran to her seate, and flung her downe:
Who rent her garments from her backe,
And spoyld her of her precious crowne.
This crowne he plaste vpon his hed,
And leauing her in dolefull case,
With swiftest pace away he fled,
And darknesse came in all the place.
Then quoth my guyd: "Note well my talke,
And thou shalt heare this dreame declarde:
The wood, in which thou first didst walke,
Unto the worlde may be comparde.
The roaring beasts plainly expresse
The sundry snares in which we fall:
This gaole is named Deepe Distresse,
In which dame Virtue lies as thrall.
She is the wight, which heere within
So dolefully doth houle and crie:
Her foe is called Deadly Sinne,
That proffered here this villainie.
My name is Time, whom God hath sent
To warne thee of thy soule's decay :
In time therefore thy sinnes lament,
Least Time from thee be tane away."
As soone as he these wordes had sayd,
With swiftest pace away he flies;
And I thereat was so afrayde,
That drowsie sleepe forsooke mine eyes.
O LORD, who in thy sacred tent
And holy hill shall dwell?
Euen he that both in heart and minde
Dooth studie to do well.
In life vpright, in dealing iust,
And he that from his heart
The truth doth speak with singlenes,
All falshood set apart.
With tongue besides that hurts no man,
By false and ill report;
Nor friends nor neighbours harme will doe
Whereuer he resort.
That hates the bad, and loues the good,
And faith that neuer breakes;
But keepes alwaies, though to his losse,
The woord that once he speakes.
Nor filthy gaine by loue that seekes,
Nor wealth so to possesse;
Nor that for bribes the guiltlesse soule
Doth labour to oppresse.
Like as a mount, so shall he stand:
Nothing shall him remoue,
That thus shall do, the Lord hath said;
Nor man can it disproue.
O LORD, how long wilt thou forget
To send mee some reliefe?
For euer wilt thou hide thy face,
And so increase my griefe?
How long shall I, with waxed heart,
Seeke councell in my sprite?
How long shall my malicious foes
Triumph, and me despite ?
O Lord, my God, heare my complaint,
Vttered with wofull breath;
Lighten mine eies; defend my life,
That I sleep not in death:
Least that mine enemie say, I haue
Against him, loe, preuayled:
At my downefall they will reioyce,
That thus haue me assayl'd.
But in thy mercie, Lord, I trust,
For that shall mee defend:
My hart doth ioy to see the help
Which thou to mee wilt send.
Vnto the Lord, therefore, I sing,
And doe lift vp my voyce;
And for his goodnesse shew'd to mee
I will alway reioyce.
CARE FOR THY SOULE.
CARE for thy soule as thing of greatest price, Made to the end to tast of powre deuine, Deuoide of guilt, abhorring sinne and vice, Apt by God's grace to vertue to incline:
Care for it so, as by thy retchless traine
It not be brought to tast eternall paine.
Care for thy corps, but chiefly for soule's sake ;
Cut off excesse; susteining food is best;
To vanquish pride, but comely clothing take;
Seeke after skill; deepe ignorance detest:
Care so,
I say,
the flesh to feed and cloth,
That thou harme not thy soule and bodie both.
Care for the world to do thy bodie right;
Racke not thy wit to winne by wicked waies;
Seeke not to oppresse the weake by wrongfull
might;
To pay thy dew do banish all delayes:
Care to dispend according to thy store,
And in like sort be mindfull of the poore.
Care for thy soule, as for thy chiefest stay;
Care for thy bodie, for the soule's auaile;
Care for the world, for bodie's help alway;
Care, yet but so as vertue may preuaile :
Care in such sort that thou be sure of this,-
Care keep thee not from heauen and heauenly
blisse.
How do I vse my paper, ink, and pen,
And call my wits to counsel what to say!
Such memories were made for mortall men-
I speak of saintes, whose names cannot decaye:
An angel's trump were fitter for to sound
Their glorious death, if such on earth were found.
That store of such were once on earth pursu'd,
The histories of auncient times record,
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