Old Poets.

At Venus' entreaty for Cupid, her son, These arrows by Vulcan were cunningly done: The first is Love, as here you may behold His feathers, head, and body, are of gold. The second shaft is Hate, a foe to Love, And bitter are his torments for to prove. The third is Hope, from whence our comfort springs, His feathers are pull'd from Fortune's wings. Fourth, Jealousy in basest minds doth dwell, This metal Vulcan's Cyclops sent from Hell.

It is the mind that maketh good or ill, That makes a wretch, or happy, rich or poor, For some that have abundance at their will, Have not enough but want in greatest store, Another that hath little asks no more, But, in that little is both rich and wise.

The first and riper world of men and skill, Yields to our later time for three inventions, Miraculously we write, we sail, we kill, As neither ancient scroll nor story mentions. Print. The first hath opened learning, old concealed And obscure arts restored to the light. Loadstone. The second hidden countries hath revealed, And sends Christ's Gospel to each living wight. These we commend, but oh! what needeth more. Guns. To teach Death more skill than he had before.

Kings are the Gods' vicegerents on the earth The Gods have power, Kings from that power have might, Kings should excell in virtue and in birth; Gods punish wrongs, and Kings should maintain right, They be the suns from which we borrow light. And they as Kings, should still in justice strive With Gods, from whom their beings they derive.

Remain upright yet some will quarrel pike, And common bruit will deem them all alike. For look, how your companions you elect For good or ill, so shall you be suspect.

All art is learned by art, this art alone It is a heavenly gift, no flesh nor bone Can praise the honey we from Pind distil, Except with holy fire his breast we fill. From that spring flows, that men of special chose Consum'd in learning and perfect in prose; For to make verse in vain does travel take, When as a prentice fairer words will make.

A wise man living like a drone, an old man not devout, Youth disobedient, rich men that are charity without, A shameless woman, vicious lords, a poor man proudly stout, Contentious Christians, pastors that their functions do neglect, A wicked king, no discipline, no laws men to direct, Are twelve the foulest faults that most commonwealths infect.

Fair Danubie is praised for being wide. Nilus commended for the seven-fold head; Euphrates for the swiftness of the tide, And for the garden whence his course is led, And banks of Rhine with vines o'erspread. Take Loire and Po, yet all may not compare With English Thames for buildings rare.