HYMNE XX.

OF THE PASSIONS OF HER HEART.

EXAMINE not th' inscrutable heart,

Light Muse of her, though she in part

Impart it to the subiect ;

Search not, although from Heau’n thou art,

and this an heauenly obiect.

But since she hath a heart, we know,
Euer some passions thence doe flow,
Though euer rul'd with Honor;
her judgment raignes, they waite below,
and fixe their eyes vpon her.

Rectified so, they in their kind Encrease each vertue of her mind, ouern'd with mild tranquilitie;

n all the regions vnder heau'n,

o State doth beare it selfe so euen,

and with so sweet facilitie.

HYMNE XXI.

OF THE INNUMERABLE VERTUES OF HER MINDE.

ERE thou proceed in this sweet paines, Learne Muse how many drops it raines n cold and moist December;

Sum up May flowres, and August graines, a nd grapes of mild September.

Beare the Sea's sand in memory,
Earth's grasses, and the starres in skie;

The little moates which mounted,
Hang, in the beames of Phœbus' eye,
and neuer can be counted.

Recount these numbers numberlesse,1 Ere thou her vertue canst expresse, Great wits this count will, cumber. Instruct thy selfe in numbring Schooles; ow courtiers vse to begge for fooles, all such as cannot number.

1 Cf. Paradise Regained, iii. 310. G.

HYMNE XXII.

OF HER WISDOME.

E [A]GLE-eyed Wisdome, life's loadstarre, Looking neere on things afarre; oue's best beloued daughter, Showes to her spirit all1 that are, as Ioue himselfe hath taught her.

33 y this straight rule she rectifies Each thought that in [her] heart doth rise : This is her cleane true mirror, her looking-glasse, wherein she spies a [11] forms of Truth and Error.

Right princely vertue fit to raigne,
Enthroniz'd in her spirit remaine,
Guiding our fortunes euer ;

If we this starre once cease to see,

no doubt our State will shipwrackt bee,

and torne and sunke for euer.

1 In first edition 'things.' G.

HYMNE XXIII.

OF HER JUSTICE.

EXIL'D Astræa is come againe,
Lo here she doth all things maintaine
In number, weight, and measure:

he rules vs with delightfull paine, and we obey with pleasure.

By Loue she rules more then by Law, Euen her great mercy breedeth awe; This is her sword and scepter : herewith she hearts did euer draw,

and this guard euer kept her.

Reward doth sit in her right-hand, Each vertue thence taks her garland ather'd in Honor's garden;

n her left hand (wherein should be ought but the sword) sits Clemency and conquers Vice with pardon.

HYMNE XXIV.

OF HER MAGNANIMITIE.

EUEN as her State, so is her mind,
Lifted aboue the vulgar kind;

t treades proud Fortune vnder: Sun-like it sits aboue the wind, a boue the stormes, and thunder.

Braue spirit, large heart, admiring nought, Esteeming each thing as it ought,

That swelleth not, nor shrinketh;

honour is alwayes in her thought,

and of great things she thinketh.

Rocks, pillars, and heauen's axeltree,
Exemplifie her constancy;

Great changes neuer change her:
In her sexe, feares are wont to rise,

nature permits, Vertue denies,

and scornes the face of Danger.