VIII. MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED.

VOL. II.

P

Miscellaneous Poems.

OF FAITH THE FIRST THEOLOGICALL

VERTUE.

AITH is a sunbeame of th' Æternall light,

FAIT

That in man's soule infusd by grace doth shine :

Which giues her dazled eye soe cleare a sight

As evidently sees the truith divine;

This beame that cleares our eyes, inflames our hearts,
And Charitie's kind fire doth there begett :
For sunlike, it both light and heate imparts:
Faith is the light, and Charitie the heate:
This light of faith the noblest wisdome is,

For it the onley truith allowes and a'plyes :

The virgin's lamp, that lights the soule to blisse;

The Jacob's scales,1 whereby shee clymes the skyes;

The eye that sees, the hand that apprehends;

The cause of causes, and the end of ends.

1 Scala = ladder. G.

VOL. II.

A SONGE OF CONTENTION

BETWEENE FOWRE MAIDS CONCERNINGE THAT WHICH

ADDETH MOST PERFECTION TO THAT SEXE.

THE FIRST FOR BEAUTY.

UR fairest Garland, made of Beautye's flowers,

OUR

Doth of it selfe supplyall other dowers : Women excell the perfects' men in this,

And therefore herein theire perfection is:

For beautye wee the glorious heauens admire ;
Faire feilds, faire howses, gold and pearle, desire.
Beautye doth alwayes health and youth imploy
and doth delight the noblest sense, the eye.

THE SECOND FOR WITTE.

Beautye delights the soule, but witte the Reason:
Witte lasts an age, and beautye but a season:
The sense is quickly cloyd with beautye's tast ;
When witt's delight still quicke and fresh doth last :
Beautye, weake eyes with her illusion blindes,
Witte conquers spirits and triumphs ouer minds:
Deade things haue beautye, onely man hath witte,

and man's perfection doth consist in it.

THE THIRD FOR WEALTH.

Wealth is a power that passeth nature farre :

Makes euery goose a swanne, and sparke a starre : Queene money, bringes and giues with royall hands Freinds, kindred, honour, husband, house and lands; Not a faire face, but fortune faire, I craue,

Lett mee want witte soe I fooles' fortune haue.

THE FOURTH FOR VERTUE.

Yet those perfections most imperfect bee,
If there bee wantinge vertuous modestye;
Vertue's aspect would haue the sweetest grace
If wee could see as wee conceaue her face :
Vertue guids witte, with well-affected will,
Which if witte want, it proues a dangerous ill :
Vertue gaines wealth with her good gouerment,
If not, sh'is rich, because shee is content.2

A MAID'S HYMNE IN PRAISE OF

VIRGINITY.

SACRED virginity, vnconquered Queene !

Whose kingdome never hath invaded beene;

The preceding are in a third handwriting. G.