XVI

Suddein upriseth from her stately place
  The royall Dame, and for her coche did call: 
  All hurtlen forth, and she with Princely pace,
  As faire Aurora in her purple pall,
  Out of the east the dawning day doth call:  140
  So forth she comes:  her brightnesse brode doth blaze;
  The heapes of people thronging in the hall,
  Do ride each other, upon her to gaze: 
Her glorious glitterand light doth all mens eyes amaze.

XVII

So forth she comes, and to her coche[*] does clyme, 145
  Adorned all with gold, and girlonds gay,
  That seemd as fresh as Flora in her prime,
  And strove to match, in royall rich array,
  Great Junoes golden chaire, the which they say
  The Gods stand gazing on, when she does ride 150
  To Joves high house through heavens bras-paved way
  Drawne of faire Pecocks, that excell in pride,
And full of Argus eyes their tailes dispredden wide.

XVIII

But this was drawne of six unequall beasts,
  On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde, 155
  Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts,
  With like conditions[*] to their kinds applyde: 
  Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde,
  Was sluggish Idlenesse the nourse of sin;
  Upon a slouthful Asse he chose to ryde, 160
  Arayd in habit blacke, and amis thin,
Like to an holy Monck, the service to begin.

XIX

And in his hand his Portesse still he bare,
  That much was worne, but therein little red,
  For of devotion he had little care, 165
  Still drownd in sleepe, and most of his dayes ded;
  Scarse could he once uphold his heavie hed,
  To looken, whether it were night or day: 
  May seeme the wayne was very evill led,
  When such an one had guiding of the way, 170
That knew not, whether right he went, or else astray.

XX

From worldly cares himselfe he did esloyne,
  And greatly shunned manly exercise,
  From every worke he chalenged essoyne,[*]
  For contemplation sake:  yet otherwise, 175
  His life he led in lawlesse riotise;
  By which he grew to grievous malady;
  For in his lustlesse limbs through evill guise
  A shaking fever raignd continually: 
Such one was Idlenesse, first of this company. 180

XXI

And by his side rode loathsome Gluttony,
  Deformed creature, on a filthie swyne;
  His belly was up-blowne with luxury,
  And eke with fatnesse swollen were his eyne,
  And like a Crane[*] his necke was long and fyne, 185
  With which he swallowed up excessive feast,
  For want whereof poore people oft did pyne;
  And all the way, most like a brutish beast,
He spued up his gorge, that all did him deteast.