To my most gracious dread Sovereign.

For of her Barons brave, and Ladies fair(Who had they been elsewhere, most fair had been),Many an incomparable lovely pairWith hand-in-hand were interlinkèd seen,Making fair honour to their sovereign Queen:Forward they paced, and did their pace applyTo a most sweet and solemn melody.

For of her Barons brave, and Ladies fair

(Who had they been elsewhere, most fair had been),

Many an incomparable lovely pair

With hand-in-hand were interlinkèd seen,

Making fair honour to their sovereign Queen:

Forward they paced, and did their pace apply

To a most sweet and solemn melody.

129.

So subtle and curious was the measureWith such unlooked-for change in every strain,As thatPeneloperapt with sweet pleasureWeened she beheld the true proportion plainOf her own web, weaved and unweaved again:But that her Art was somewhat less, she thought,And on a mere ignoble subject wrought.

So subtle and curious was the measure

With such unlooked-for change in every strain,

As thatPeneloperapt with sweet pleasure

Weened she beheld the true proportion plain

Of her own web, weaved and unweaved again:

But that her Art was somewhat less, she thought,

And on a mere ignoble subject wrought.

130.

For here, like to the silkworm's industry,Beauty itself out of itself did weaveSo rare a work, and of such subtlety,As did all eyes entangle and deceive;And in all minds a strange impression leave.In this sweet labyrinth didCupidstray,And never had the power to pass away.

For here, like to the silkworm's industry,

Beauty itself out of itself did weave

So rare a work, and of such subtlety,

As did all eyes entangle and deceive;

And in all minds a strange impression leave.

In this sweet labyrinth didCupidstray,

And never had the power to pass away.

131.

As when the Indians, neighbours of the Morning,In honour of the cheerful rising Sun,With pearl and painted plumes themselves adorning,A solemn stately measure have begun;The god well pleased with that fair honour done,Sheds forth his beams, and doth their faces kissWith that immortal glorious face of his:

As when the Indians, neighbours of the Morning,

In honour of the cheerful rising Sun,

With pearl and painted plumes themselves adorning,

A solemn stately measure have begun;

The god well pleased with that fair honour done,

Sheds forth his beams, and doth their faces kiss

With that immortal glorious face of his:

132.

So****]

Nosce teipsum!This Oracle expounded in twoElegies.1. Of Human Knowledge.2. Of the Soul of Man, and the Immortality thereof.LONDON:Printed byRichard Field, forJohn Standish.1599.

Nosce teipsum!

This Oracle expounded in twoElegies.

1. Of Human Knowledge.2. Of the Soul of Man, and the Immortality thereof.

1. Of Human Knowledge.

2. Of the Soul of Man, and the Immortality thereof.

LONDON:

Printed byRichard Field, forJohn Standish.

1599.

[This work was thus registered for publication at Stationers' Hall: 10Aprilis[1599].John StandysheEntred for his copie A booke calledNosce Teipsum The oracle expounded in two Elegies.1.of human kno[w]ledge.2.of the soule of Man and th[e] immortality thereof.MasterPonsonbyes[the junior Warden at the time] hand is to yt.This is aucthorised vnder the hand of the L[ord] Bysshop ofLondon Provyedthat yt must not be printed without his L[ordships] hand to yt again.Transcript &c.iii. 142.Ed.1876.

[This work was thus registered for publication at Stationers' Hall: 10Aprilis[1599].

John StandysheEntred for his copie A booke calledNosce Teipsum The oracle expounded in two Elegies.1.of human kno[w]ledge.2.of the soule of Man and th[e] immortality thereof.MasterPonsonbyes[the junior Warden at the time] hand is to yt.This is aucthorised vnder the hand of the L[ord] Bysshop ofLondon Provyedthat yt must not be printed without his L[ordships] hand to yt again.Transcript &c.iii. 142.Ed.1876.

TOthatclear Majesty which in the NorthDoth like another sun in glory rise;Which standeth fixt, yet spreads her heavenly worthLoadstone to hearts, and loadstar to all eyes:Like heaven in all; like th' earth in this alone,That though great States by her support do stand,Yet she herself supported is of none,But by the finger of th' Almighty's hand:To the divinest and the richest Mind,Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dower,That ever was from heaven to earth confined,To shew the utmost of a creature's power:To that great Spirit which doth great kingdoms move,The sacred spring, whence Right and Honour streams,Distilling Virtue, shedding Peace and LoveIn every place, asCynthiasheds her beams:I offer up some sparkles of that fire,Whereby we Reason, Live, and Move, and Be.These sparks, by nature, evermore aspire;Which makes them to so high a Highness flee.Fair Soul, since to the fairest body knit,You give such lively life, such quick'ning power.Such sweet celestial influence to itAs keeps it still in youth's immortal flower;(As where the sun is present all the year,And never doth retire his golden ray,Needs must the Spring be everlasting there,And every season, like the month of May)O many, many years, may you remainA happy Angel to this happy land!Long, long may you on earth our Empress reign!Ere you in heaven, a glorious angel stand.Stay long, sweet Spirit, ere than to heaven depart,Which mak'st each place a heaven, wherein thou art.Her Majesty's least and unworthiest subject,John Davies.

TOthatclear Majesty which in the NorthDoth like another sun in glory rise;Which standeth fixt, yet spreads her heavenly worthLoadstone to hearts, and loadstar to all eyes:

Othatclear Majesty which in the North

Doth like another sun in glory rise;

Which standeth fixt, yet spreads her heavenly worth

Loadstone to hearts, and loadstar to all eyes:

Like heaven in all; like th' earth in this alone,That though great States by her support do stand,Yet she herself supported is of none,But by the finger of th' Almighty's hand:

Like heaven in all; like th' earth in this alone,

That though great States by her support do stand,

Yet she herself supported is of none,

But by the finger of th' Almighty's hand:

To the divinest and the richest Mind,Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dower,That ever was from heaven to earth confined,To shew the utmost of a creature's power:

To the divinest and the richest Mind,

Both by Art's purchase and by Nature's dower,

That ever was from heaven to earth confined,

To shew the utmost of a creature's power:

To that great Spirit which doth great kingdoms move,The sacred spring, whence Right and Honour streams,Distilling Virtue, shedding Peace and LoveIn every place, asCynthiasheds her beams:

To that great Spirit which doth great kingdoms move,

The sacred spring, whence Right and Honour streams,

Distilling Virtue, shedding Peace and Love

In every place, asCynthiasheds her beams:

I offer up some sparkles of that fire,Whereby we Reason, Live, and Move, and Be.These sparks, by nature, evermore aspire;Which makes them to so high a Highness flee.

I offer up some sparkles of that fire,

Whereby we Reason, Live, and Move, and Be.

These sparks, by nature, evermore aspire;

Which makes them to so high a Highness flee.

Fair Soul, since to the fairest body knit,You give such lively life, such quick'ning power.Such sweet celestial influence to itAs keeps it still in youth's immortal flower;

Fair Soul, since to the fairest body knit,

You give such lively life, such quick'ning power.

Such sweet celestial influence to it

As keeps it still in youth's immortal flower;

(As where the sun is present all the year,And never doth retire his golden ray,Needs must the Spring be everlasting there,And every season, like the month of May)

(As where the sun is present all the year,

And never doth retire his golden ray,

Needs must the Spring be everlasting there,

And every season, like the month of May)

O many, many years, may you remainA happy Angel to this happy land!Long, long may you on earth our Empress reign!Ere you in heaven, a glorious angel stand.

O many, many years, may you remain

A happy Angel to this happy land!

Long, long may you on earth our Empress reign!

Ere you in heaven, a glorious angel stand.

Stay long, sweet Spirit, ere than to heaven depart,Which mak'st each place a heaven, wherein thou art.

Stay long, sweet Spirit, ere than to heaven depart,

Which mak'st each place a heaven, wherein thou art.

Her Majesty's least and unworthiest subject,

John Davies.

WHydid my parents send me to the Schools,That I with knowledge might enrich my mind?Since the Desire to Know first made men fools,And did corrupt the root of all mankind.For when GOD's hand had written in the heartsOf the First Parents, all the rules of good;So that their skill infused, did pass all ArtsThat ever were, before, or since the Flood;And when their Reason's eye was sharp and clear,And, as an eagle can behold the sun,Could have approached the Eternal Light as nearAs th'intellectual angels could have done:Even then, to them the Spirit of Lies suggestsThat they were blind, because they saw not Ill;And breathes into their incorrupted breasts,A curious Wish, which did corrupt their Will.For that same Ill they straight desired to know,Which Ill (being nought but a defect of Good);In all GOD's works, the Devil could not show,While Man, their Lord, in his perfection stood.So that themselves were first todothe IllEre they thereof theknowledgecould attain;Like him, that knew not poison's power to kill,Until, by tasting it, himself was slain.Even so, by tasting of that fruit forbid,Where they sought Knowledge, they did Error find;Ill they desired to know, and Ill, they did;And to give Passion eyes, made Reason blind.For then their minds did first in Passion see,Those wretched Shapes of Misery and Woe,Of Nakedness, of Shame, of Poverty,Which then their own experience made them know.But then grew Reason dark, that she no moreCould the fair forms of Good and Truth discern:Bats they became, that eagles were before;And this they got by their Desire to Learn.But we, their wretched offspring, what do we?Do not we still taste of the fruit forbid?Whiles, with fond fruitless curiosity,In books profane we seek for knowledge hid?What is this Knowledge but the sky-stol'n fireFor which the Thief still chained in ice doth sit,And which the poor rude Satyr did admire,And needs would kiss, but burnt his lips with it?What is it, but the cloud of empty rain,Which whenJove'sguest embraced, he monsters got?Or the false pails, which oft being filled with pain,Received the water, but retained it not?Shortly, what is it but the fiery CoachWhich the Youth sought, and sought his death withal?Or the Boy's wings, which when he did approachThe sun's hot beams, did melt, and let him fall?And yet, alas, when all our lamps are burned,Our bodies wasted, and our spirits spent;When we have all the learned volumes turned,Which yield men's wits, both help and ornament:What can we know? or what can we discern?When Error chokes the windows of the Mind;The divers Forms of things how can we learn,That have been, ever from our birthday, blind?When Reason's lamp (which, like the sun in sky,Throughout man's little world her beams did spread)Is now become a Sparkle, which doth lieUnder the ashes, half extinct, and dead;How can we hope, that through the Eye and Ear,This dying Sparkle, in this cloudy place,Can re-collect these beams of knowledge clear,Which were infused in the first minds, by grace?So might the heir, whose father hath in playWasted a thousand pounds of ancient rent,By painful earning of one groat a day,Hope to restore the patrimony spent.The wits that dived most deep, and soared most high,Seeking man's powers, have found his weakness such;"Skill comes so slow, and life so fast doth fly;We learn so little, and forget so much."For this, the wisest of all moral menSaid,He knew nought, but that he nought did know!And the great mocking Master, mocked not then,When he said,Truth was buried deep below!For how may we, to other's things attain,When none of us, his own Soul understands?For which, the Devil mocks our curious brain,When,Know thyself!his oracle commands.For why should we the busy Soul believe,When boldly she concludes of that and this?When of herself, she can no judgement give,Nor How, nor Whence, nor Where, nor What she is?All things without, which round about we see,We seek to know, and have therewith to do;But that, whereby we Reason, Live, and Be,Within ourselves, we strangers are thereto.We seek to know the moving of each sphere,And the strange cause of th' ebbs and floods of Nile;But of that Clock, which in our breasts we bear,The subtle motions we forget the while!We that acquaint ourselves with every zone,And pass both tropics, and behold both poles;When we come home, are to ourselves unknownAnd unacquainted still with our own souls!We study Speech, but others we persuade;We Leechcraft learn, but others cure with it;We interpret Laws which other men have made,But read not those which in our hearts are writ.Is it because the Mind is like the Eye,(Through which it gathers knowledge by degrees)Whose rays reflect not but spread outwardly,Not seeing itself, when other things it sees?No, doubtless, for the Mind can backward castUpon herself, her understanding light;But she is so corrupt, and so defac't,As her own image doth herself affright.As in the fable of that Lady fair,Which, for her lust, was turned into a cow;When thirsty to a stream she did repair,And saw herself transformed (she wist not how;)At first, she startles! then, she stands amazed!At last, with terror, she from thence doth fly,And loathes the wat'ry glass wherein she gazed,And shuns it still, though she for thirst do die.Even so, Man's Soul, which did God's Image bear,And was, at first, fair, good, and spotless pure;Since with her sins, her beauties blotted were,Doth, of all sights, her own sight least endure.For even, at first reflection, she espiesSuch strangeChimerasand such monsters there!Such toys! such antics! and such vanities!As she retires, and shrinks for shame and fear.And as the man loves least at home to be,That hath a sluttish house, haunted with sprites;So she, impatient her own faults to see,Turns from herself, and in strange things delights.For this, fewknow themselves! for merchants broke,View their estate with discontent and pain;And seas are troubled, when they do revokeTheir flowing waves into themselves again.And while the face of outward things we find,Pleasing and fair, agreeable and sweet;These things transport and carry out the mind,That with herself, herself can never meet.Yet if Affliction once her wars begin,And threat the feeble Sense with sword and fire;The Mind contracts herself, and shrinketh in,And to herself she gladly doth retire,As spiders touched, seek their web's inmost part;As bees in storms, unto their hives return;As blood in danger, gathers to the heart;And men seek towns, when foes the country burn.If ought can teach us ought, Affliction's looks(Making us look into ourselves so near)Teach us toknow ourselves, beyond all books,Or all the learned Schools that ever were!This Mistress, lately, plucked me by the ear,And many a golden lesson hath me taught,Hath made my Senses quick, and Reason clear,Reformed my Will, and rectified my Thought.So do the winds and thunders cleanse the air;So working lees settle and purge the wine;So lopt and pruned trees do flourish fair;So doth the fire the drossy gold refine.NeitherMinerva, nor the learned Muse,Nor Rules of Art, nor Precepts of the Wise,Could in my brain, those beams of skill infuse,As but the glance of this Dame's angry eyes.She, within lists, my ranging mind hath brought,That now beyond myself I list not go;Myself am Centre of my circling thought,Only Myself, I study, learn, and know.Iknowmy Body's of so frail a kind,As force without, fevers within, can kill;Iknowthe heavenly nature of my Mind;But 'tis corrupted, both in Wit and Will.Iknowmy Soul hath power to know all things,Yet is she blind and ignorant in all;IknowI am one of Nature's little kings,Yet to the least and vilest things am thrall!Iknowmy Life's a pain, and but a span;Iknowmy Sense is mocked with every thing:And to conclude, Iknowmyself a Man;Which is a proud, and yet a wretched thing!

WHydid my parents send me to the Schools,That I with knowledge might enrich my mind?Since the Desire to Know first made men fools,And did corrupt the root of all mankind.

Hydid my parents send me to the Schools,

That I with knowledge might enrich my mind?

Since the Desire to Know first made men fools,

And did corrupt the root of all mankind.

For when GOD's hand had written in the heartsOf the First Parents, all the rules of good;So that their skill infused, did pass all ArtsThat ever were, before, or since the Flood;

For when GOD's hand had written in the hearts

Of the First Parents, all the rules of good;

So that their skill infused, did pass all Arts

That ever were, before, or since the Flood;

And when their Reason's eye was sharp and clear,And, as an eagle can behold the sun,Could have approached the Eternal Light as nearAs th'intellectual angels could have done:

And when their Reason's eye was sharp and clear,

And, as an eagle can behold the sun,

Could have approached the Eternal Light as near

As th'intellectual angels could have done:

Even then, to them the Spirit of Lies suggestsThat they were blind, because they saw not Ill;And breathes into their incorrupted breasts,A curious Wish, which did corrupt their Will.

Even then, to them the Spirit of Lies suggests

That they were blind, because they saw not Ill;

And breathes into their incorrupted breasts,

A curious Wish, which did corrupt their Will.

For that same Ill they straight desired to know,Which Ill (being nought but a defect of Good);In all GOD's works, the Devil could not show,While Man, their Lord, in his perfection stood.

For that same Ill they straight desired to know,

Which Ill (being nought but a defect of Good);

In all GOD's works, the Devil could not show,

While Man, their Lord, in his perfection stood.

So that themselves were first todothe IllEre they thereof theknowledgecould attain;Like him, that knew not poison's power to kill,Until, by tasting it, himself was slain.

So that themselves were first todothe Ill

Ere they thereof theknowledgecould attain;

Like him, that knew not poison's power to kill,

Until, by tasting it, himself was slain.

Even so, by tasting of that fruit forbid,Where they sought Knowledge, they did Error find;Ill they desired to know, and Ill, they did;And to give Passion eyes, made Reason blind.

Even so, by tasting of that fruit forbid,

Where they sought Knowledge, they did Error find;

Ill they desired to know, and Ill, they did;

And to give Passion eyes, made Reason blind.

For then their minds did first in Passion see,Those wretched Shapes of Misery and Woe,Of Nakedness, of Shame, of Poverty,Which then their own experience made them know.

For then their minds did first in Passion see,

Those wretched Shapes of Misery and Woe,

Of Nakedness, of Shame, of Poverty,

Which then their own experience made them know.

But then grew Reason dark, that she no moreCould the fair forms of Good and Truth discern:Bats they became, that eagles were before;And this they got by their Desire to Learn.

But then grew Reason dark, that she no more

Could the fair forms of Good and Truth discern:

Bats they became, that eagles were before;

And this they got by their Desire to Learn.

But we, their wretched offspring, what do we?Do not we still taste of the fruit forbid?Whiles, with fond fruitless curiosity,In books profane we seek for knowledge hid?

But we, their wretched offspring, what do we?

Do not we still taste of the fruit forbid?

Whiles, with fond fruitless curiosity,

In books profane we seek for knowledge hid?

What is this Knowledge but the sky-stol'n fireFor which the Thief still chained in ice doth sit,And which the poor rude Satyr did admire,And needs would kiss, but burnt his lips with it?

What is this Knowledge but the sky-stol'n fire

For which the Thief still chained in ice doth sit,

And which the poor rude Satyr did admire,

And needs would kiss, but burnt his lips with it?

What is it, but the cloud of empty rain,Which whenJove'sguest embraced, he monsters got?Or the false pails, which oft being filled with pain,Received the water, but retained it not?

What is it, but the cloud of empty rain,

Which whenJove'sguest embraced, he monsters got?

Or the false pails, which oft being filled with pain,

Received the water, but retained it not?

Shortly, what is it but the fiery CoachWhich the Youth sought, and sought his death withal?Or the Boy's wings, which when he did approachThe sun's hot beams, did melt, and let him fall?

Shortly, what is it but the fiery Coach

Which the Youth sought, and sought his death withal?

Or the Boy's wings, which when he did approach

The sun's hot beams, did melt, and let him fall?

And yet, alas, when all our lamps are burned,Our bodies wasted, and our spirits spent;When we have all the learned volumes turned,Which yield men's wits, both help and ornament:

And yet, alas, when all our lamps are burned,

Our bodies wasted, and our spirits spent;

When we have all the learned volumes turned,

Which yield men's wits, both help and ornament:

What can we know? or what can we discern?When Error chokes the windows of the Mind;The divers Forms of things how can we learn,That have been, ever from our birthday, blind?

What can we know? or what can we discern?

When Error chokes the windows of the Mind;

The divers Forms of things how can we learn,

That have been, ever from our birthday, blind?

When Reason's lamp (which, like the sun in sky,Throughout man's little world her beams did spread)Is now become a Sparkle, which doth lieUnder the ashes, half extinct, and dead;

When Reason's lamp (which, like the sun in sky,

Throughout man's little world her beams did spread)

Is now become a Sparkle, which doth lie

Under the ashes, half extinct, and dead;

How can we hope, that through the Eye and Ear,This dying Sparkle, in this cloudy place,Can re-collect these beams of knowledge clear,Which were infused in the first minds, by grace?

How can we hope, that through the Eye and Ear,

This dying Sparkle, in this cloudy place,

Can re-collect these beams of knowledge clear,

Which were infused in the first minds, by grace?

So might the heir, whose father hath in playWasted a thousand pounds of ancient rent,By painful earning of one groat a day,Hope to restore the patrimony spent.

So might the heir, whose father hath in play

Wasted a thousand pounds of ancient rent,

By painful earning of one groat a day,

Hope to restore the patrimony spent.

The wits that dived most deep, and soared most high,Seeking man's powers, have found his weakness such;"Skill comes so slow, and life so fast doth fly;We learn so little, and forget so much."

The wits that dived most deep, and soared most high,

Seeking man's powers, have found his weakness such;

"Skill comes so slow, and life so fast doth fly;

We learn so little, and forget so much."

For this, the wisest of all moral menSaid,He knew nought, but that he nought did know!And the great mocking Master, mocked not then,When he said,Truth was buried deep below!

For this, the wisest of all moral men

Said,He knew nought, but that he nought did know!

And the great mocking Master, mocked not then,

When he said,Truth was buried deep below!

For how may we, to other's things attain,When none of us, his own Soul understands?For which, the Devil mocks our curious brain,When,Know thyself!his oracle commands.

For how may we, to other's things attain,

When none of us, his own Soul understands?

For which, the Devil mocks our curious brain,

When,Know thyself!his oracle commands.

For why should we the busy Soul believe,When boldly she concludes of that and this?When of herself, she can no judgement give,Nor How, nor Whence, nor Where, nor What she is?

For why should we the busy Soul believe,

When boldly she concludes of that and this?

When of herself, she can no judgement give,

Nor How, nor Whence, nor Where, nor What she is?

All things without, which round about we see,We seek to know, and have therewith to do;But that, whereby we Reason, Live, and Be,Within ourselves, we strangers are thereto.

All things without, which round about we see,

We seek to know, and have therewith to do;

But that, whereby we Reason, Live, and Be,

Within ourselves, we strangers are thereto.

We seek to know the moving of each sphere,And the strange cause of th' ebbs and floods of Nile;But of that Clock, which in our breasts we bear,The subtle motions we forget the while!

We seek to know the moving of each sphere,

And the strange cause of th' ebbs and floods of Nile;

But of that Clock, which in our breasts we bear,

The subtle motions we forget the while!

We that acquaint ourselves with every zone,And pass both tropics, and behold both poles;When we come home, are to ourselves unknownAnd unacquainted still with our own souls!

We that acquaint ourselves with every zone,

And pass both tropics, and behold both poles;

When we come home, are to ourselves unknown

And unacquainted still with our own souls!

We study Speech, but others we persuade;We Leechcraft learn, but others cure with it;We interpret Laws which other men have made,But read not those which in our hearts are writ.

We study Speech, but others we persuade;

We Leechcraft learn, but others cure with it;

We interpret Laws which other men have made,

But read not those which in our hearts are writ.

Is it because the Mind is like the Eye,(Through which it gathers knowledge by degrees)Whose rays reflect not but spread outwardly,Not seeing itself, when other things it sees?

Is it because the Mind is like the Eye,

(Through which it gathers knowledge by degrees)

Whose rays reflect not but spread outwardly,

Not seeing itself, when other things it sees?

No, doubtless, for the Mind can backward castUpon herself, her understanding light;But she is so corrupt, and so defac't,As her own image doth herself affright.

No, doubtless, for the Mind can backward cast

Upon herself, her understanding light;

But she is so corrupt, and so defac't,

As her own image doth herself affright.

As in the fable of that Lady fair,Which, for her lust, was turned into a cow;When thirsty to a stream she did repair,And saw herself transformed (she wist not how;)

As in the fable of that Lady fair,

Which, for her lust, was turned into a cow;

When thirsty to a stream she did repair,

And saw herself transformed (she wist not how;)

At first, she startles! then, she stands amazed!At last, with terror, she from thence doth fly,And loathes the wat'ry glass wherein she gazed,And shuns it still, though she for thirst do die.

At first, she startles! then, she stands amazed!

At last, with terror, she from thence doth fly,

And loathes the wat'ry glass wherein she gazed,

And shuns it still, though she for thirst do die.

Even so, Man's Soul, which did God's Image bear,And was, at first, fair, good, and spotless pure;Since with her sins, her beauties blotted were,Doth, of all sights, her own sight least endure.

Even so, Man's Soul, which did God's Image bear,

And was, at first, fair, good, and spotless pure;

Since with her sins, her beauties blotted were,

Doth, of all sights, her own sight least endure.

For even, at first reflection, she espiesSuch strangeChimerasand such monsters there!Such toys! such antics! and such vanities!As she retires, and shrinks for shame and fear.

For even, at first reflection, she espies

Such strangeChimerasand such monsters there!

Such toys! such antics! and such vanities!

As she retires, and shrinks for shame and fear.

And as the man loves least at home to be,That hath a sluttish house, haunted with sprites;So she, impatient her own faults to see,Turns from herself, and in strange things delights.

And as the man loves least at home to be,

That hath a sluttish house, haunted with sprites;

So she, impatient her own faults to see,

Turns from herself, and in strange things delights.

For this, fewknow themselves! for merchants broke,View their estate with discontent and pain;And seas are troubled, when they do revokeTheir flowing waves into themselves again.

For this, fewknow themselves! for merchants broke,

View their estate with discontent and pain;

And seas are troubled, when they do revoke

Their flowing waves into themselves again.

And while the face of outward things we find,Pleasing and fair, agreeable and sweet;These things transport and carry out the mind,That with herself, herself can never meet.

And while the face of outward things we find,

Pleasing and fair, agreeable and sweet;

These things transport and carry out the mind,

That with herself, herself can never meet.

Yet if Affliction once her wars begin,And threat the feeble Sense with sword and fire;The Mind contracts herself, and shrinketh in,And to herself she gladly doth retire,

Yet if Affliction once her wars begin,

And threat the feeble Sense with sword and fire;

The Mind contracts herself, and shrinketh in,

And to herself she gladly doth retire,

As spiders touched, seek their web's inmost part;As bees in storms, unto their hives return;As blood in danger, gathers to the heart;And men seek towns, when foes the country burn.

As spiders touched, seek their web's inmost part;

As bees in storms, unto their hives return;

As blood in danger, gathers to the heart;

And men seek towns, when foes the country burn.

If ought can teach us ought, Affliction's looks(Making us look into ourselves so near)Teach us toknow ourselves, beyond all books,Or all the learned Schools that ever were!

If ought can teach us ought, Affliction's looks

(Making us look into ourselves so near)

Teach us toknow ourselves, beyond all books,

Or all the learned Schools that ever were!

This Mistress, lately, plucked me by the ear,And many a golden lesson hath me taught,Hath made my Senses quick, and Reason clear,Reformed my Will, and rectified my Thought.

This Mistress, lately, plucked me by the ear,

And many a golden lesson hath me taught,

Hath made my Senses quick, and Reason clear,

Reformed my Will, and rectified my Thought.

So do the winds and thunders cleanse the air;So working lees settle and purge the wine;So lopt and pruned trees do flourish fair;So doth the fire the drossy gold refine.

So do the winds and thunders cleanse the air;

So working lees settle and purge the wine;

So lopt and pruned trees do flourish fair;

So doth the fire the drossy gold refine.

NeitherMinerva, nor the learned Muse,Nor Rules of Art, nor Precepts of the Wise,Could in my brain, those beams of skill infuse,As but the glance of this Dame's angry eyes.

NeitherMinerva, nor the learned Muse,

Nor Rules of Art, nor Precepts of the Wise,

Could in my brain, those beams of skill infuse,

As but the glance of this Dame's angry eyes.

She, within lists, my ranging mind hath brought,That now beyond myself I list not go;Myself am Centre of my circling thought,Only Myself, I study, learn, and know.

She, within lists, my ranging mind hath brought,

That now beyond myself I list not go;

Myself am Centre of my circling thought,

Only Myself, I study, learn, and know.

Iknowmy Body's of so frail a kind,As force without, fevers within, can kill;Iknowthe heavenly nature of my Mind;But 'tis corrupted, both in Wit and Will.

Iknowmy Body's of so frail a kind,

As force without, fevers within, can kill;

Iknowthe heavenly nature of my Mind;

But 'tis corrupted, both in Wit and Will.

Iknowmy Soul hath power to know all things,Yet is she blind and ignorant in all;IknowI am one of Nature's little kings,Yet to the least and vilest things am thrall!

Iknowmy Soul hath power to know all things,

Yet is she blind and ignorant in all;

IknowI am one of Nature's little kings,

Yet to the least and vilest things am thrall!

Iknowmy Life's a pain, and but a span;Iknowmy Sense is mocked with every thing:And to conclude, Iknowmyself a Man;Which is a proud, and yet a wretched thing!

Iknowmy Life's a pain, and but a span;

Iknowmy Sense is mocked with every thing:

And to conclude, Iknowmyself a Man;

Which is a proud, and yet a wretched thing!

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