What one art thou thus in torn weeds yclad?
Virtue, in price, whom ancient sages had—
Why poorly clad? for fading goods past
care—
Why double fac’d? I mark each
fortunes rare;
This bridle, what? mind’s rages
to restrain—
Why bear you tools? I love to take
great pain—
Why wings? I teach above the stars
to fly—
Why tread your death? I only cannot
die.
WYAT.
* * * * *
TEMPERANCE.
Of all God’s works which doth this
world adorn,
There is none more fair and excellent
Than is man’s body, both for power
and form,
Whilst it is kept in sober government,
But none than it more foul and indecent,
Distempered through misrules and passions
base,
It grows a monster and incontinent,
Doth lose his dignity and native grace.
SPENSER.
* * * * *
PLEASURE.
Never have unjust pleasures been complete
In joys entire: but still fear kept
the door.
And held back something from that hell
of sweet,
To intersour unsure delights the more
For never did all circumstances meet
With those desires that were conceiv’d
before,
Something must still be left to cheer
our sin,
And give a touch of what should not have
been.
DANIELL.
* * * * *
MAN.
He that compar’d man’s body
to a host
Said that the hands were scouts discovering
harms,
The feet were horsemen thundering on the
coast,
The breast and stomach foemen, huge in
swarms,
But for the head in sovereignty did boast,
It captain was, director of alarms,
Whose rashness if it hazarded
any ill,
Not he alone, but all the
host did spill.
MARKHAM.
* * * * *
SOLITARINESS.
Sweet solitary life thou true repose,
Wherein the wise contemplate heaven aright,
In thee no dread of war or worldly foes,
In thee no pomp seduceth mortal sight.
In thee no wanton cares to
win with words,
Nor lurking toys which silly
life affords.
D. LODGE.
* * * * *
REST.
What
so strong
But wanting rest, will also want of might?
The sun that measures heaven all day long,
At night doth bathe his steeds th’
ocean waves among.
SPENSER.
* * * * *
WILL.
A stronger hand restrains our wilful powers.
A will must rule above the will of ours,
Not following what our vain desires do
woo,
For virtue’s sake, but what we only
do.