BEing

one day at my window all alone, So many strange things hapned me to see, As much it grieueth me to thinke thereon. At my right hande, a Hinde appearde to me, So faire as mought the greatest God delite: Two egre Dogs dyd hir pursue in chace, Of which the one was black, the other white. With deadly force so in their cruell race They pinchte the haunches of this gentle beast, That at the last, and in shorte time, I spied, Vnder a rocke, where she (alas) opprest, Fell to the grounde, and there untimely dide. Cruell death vanquishing so noble beautie, Oft makes me waile so harde a destinie.

A Fter at Sea a tall Ship dyd appere,

Made all of Heben and white Iuorie, The sailes of Golde, of Silke the tackle were: Milde was the winde, calme seemed the sea to be: The Skie eche where did shew full bright and faire. With riche treasures this gay ship fraighted was. But sodaine storme did so turmoyle the aire, And tombled up the sea, that she, alas, Strake on a rocke that under water lay. O great misfortune, O great griefe, I say, Thus in one moment to see lost and drownde So great riches, as lyke can not be founde.

TH

Hen heauenly branches did I see arise, Out of a fresh and lusty Laurell tree Amidde the yong grene wood. Of Paradise Some noble plant I thought my selfe to see, Suche store of birdes therein yshrouded were, Chaunting in shade their sundry melodie. My sprites were rauisht with these pleasures there. While on this Laurell fixed was mine eye, The Skie gan euery where to ouercast, And darkned was the welkin all aboute, When sodaine flash of heauens fire outbrast, And rent this royall tree quite by the roote. Which makes me much and euer to complaine, For no such shadow shal be had againe.

I'

W
Ithin this wood, out of the rocke did rise
A Spring of water mildely romblyng downe,
Whereto approched not in any wise

The homely Shepherde, nor the ruder cloune,
But many Muses, and the Nymphes withall,
That sweetely in accorde did tune their voice
Vnto the gentle sounding of the waters fall.
The sight wherof dyd make my heart reioyce.
But while I toke herein my chiefe delight,
I sawe (alas) the gaping earth devoure
The Spring, the place, and all cleane out of sight.
Whiche yet agreues my heart euen to this houre.
Saw a Phoenix in the wood alone,

I

With purple wings and crest of golden hew, Straunge birde he was, wherby I thought anone, That of some heauenly wight I had the vew: Vntill he came unto the broken tree And to the spring that late deuoured was. What say I more? Eche thing at length we see Doth passe away: the Phœnix there, alas, Spying the tree destroyde, the water dride, Himselfe smote with his beake, as in disdaine, And so forthwith in great despite he dide. For pitie and loue my heart yet burnes in paine. T last so faire a Ladie did I spie,

A Thai in thinking on hir I burne and quake,

On herbes and floures she walked pensiuely.
Milde, but yet loue she proudely did forsake.
White seemed hir robes, yet wouen so they were,
As snowe and golde together had bene wrought.
Aboue the waste a darke cloude shrouded hir,
A stinging Serpent by the heele hir caught,
Wherewith she languisht as the gathered floure:
And well assurde she mounted vp to joy.
Alas in earth so nothing doth endure
But bitter griefe that dothe our hearts anoy.

MY Song thus now in thy Conclusions,

Say boldly that these same six visions Do yelde vnto thy lorde a sweete request, Ere it be long within the earth to rest.

T was the time when rest the gift of Gods Sweetely sliding into the eyes of men, Doth drowne in the forgetfulnesse of slepe, The carefull trauailes of the painefull day: Then did a ghost appeare before mine eyes On that great riuers banke that runnes by Rome, And calling me then by my propre name,

He bade me vpwarde vnto heauen looke.
He cride to me, and loe (quod he) beholde,
What under this great Temple is containde,
Loe all is nought but flying vanitie.
So I knowing the worldes vnstedfastnesse,
Sith onely God surmountes the force of tyme,
In God alone do stay my confidence.

ON hill, a frame an hundred cubites hie
I sawe, an hundred pillers eke about,
All of fine Diamant decking the front,
And fashiond were they all in Dorike wise.
Of bricke, ne yet of marble was the wall,
But shining Christall, which from top to base
Out of deepe vaute threw forth a thousand rayes
Vpon an hundred steps of purest golde.
Golde was the parget: and the sielyng eke
Did shine all scaly with fine golden plates.
The floore was laspis, and of Emeraude.
O worldes vainenesse. A sodein earthquake loe,
Shaking the hill euen from the bottome deepe,
Threwe downe this building to the lowest stone.

T

Hen did appeare to me a sharped spire Of diamant, ten feele eche way in square, Iustly proportionde vp vnto his height, So hie as mought an Archer reache with sight. V pon the top therof was set a pot Made of the mettall that we honour most. And in this golden vessell couched were The ashes of a mightie Emperour. V pon foure corners of the base there lay To beare the frame, foure great Lions of golde. A worthie tombe for such a worthie corps. Alas, nought in this worlde but griefe endures. A sodaine tempest from the heauen, I saw, With flushe stroke downe this noble monument.

Iv

Saw raisde vp on pillers of Iuorie, Whereof the bases were of richest golde, The chapters Alabaster, Christall frises, The double front of a triumphall arke. On eche side portraide was a victorie. With golden wings in habite of a Nymph. And set on hie vpon triumphing chaire, The auncient glorie of the Romane lordes. The worke did shewe it selfe not wrought by man, But rather made by his owne skilfull hande That forgeth thunder dartes for Ioue his sire. Let me no more see faire thing under heauen, Sith I have seene so faire a thing as this, With sodaine falling broken all to dust.

Rauisht I was to see so rare a thing,
When barbarous villaines in disordred heape,
Outraged the honour of these noble bowes.
I hearde the tronke to grone vnder the wedge.
And since I saw the roote in hie disdaine
Sende forth againe a twinne of forked trees.

I Saw the birde that dares beholde the Sunne,
With feeble flight venture to mount to heauen.
By more and more she gan to trust hir wings,
Still folowing th' example of hir damme:
I saw hir rise, and with a larger flight
Surmount the toppes euen of the hiest hilles,
And pierce the cloudes, and with hir wings to reache
The place where is the temple of the Gods,
There was she lost, and sodenly I saw
Where tombling through the aire in lompe of fire,
All flaming downe she fell upon the plaine.
I saw hir bodie turned all to dust,

And saw the foule that shunnes the cherefull light
Out of hir ashes as a worme arise.

Long was his beard, and side did hang his hair,
A grisly forehed and Saturnelike face.
Leaning against the belly of a pot

He shed a water, whose outgushing streame
Ran flowing all along the creekie shoare
Where once the Troyan Duke with Turnus fought.
And at his feete a bitch Wolfe did giue sucke
To two yong babes. In his right hand he bare
The tree of peace, in left the conquering Palme,
His head was garnisht with the Laurel bow.
Then sodenly the Palme and Oliue fell,
And faire greene Laurel witherd vp and dide.

Did tune hir plaint to falling riuers sound,
Renting hir faire visage and golden haire,
Where is (quod she) this whilome honored face?
Where is thy glory and the auncient praise,
Where all worldes hap was reposed,
When erst of Gods and man I worshipt was?
Alas, suffisde it not that ciuile bate
Made me the spoile and bootie of the world
But this new Hydra mete to be assailde
Euen by an hundred such as Hercules,
With seuen springing heds of monstrous crimes,
So many Neroes and Caligulaes

Must still bring forth to rule this croked shore.