206
The second Booke of
Cant. II.
He washt them oft and oft, yet nought they beeneFor all his washing cleaner. Still he stroue,Yet still the litle hands were bloody seene,The which him into great amaz'ment droue,And into diuerse doubt his wauering wonder cloue.
He wist not whether blott of fowle offenceMight not be purgd with water nor with bath;Or that high God, in lieu of innocence,Imprinted had that token of his wrath,To shew how sore bloodguiltinesse he hat'th;Or that the charme and veneme, which they dronck,Their blood with secret filth infected hath,Being diffused through the sencelesse tronck,That through the great contagion direful deadly stonck,
Whom thus at gaze, the Palmer gan to bordWith goodly reason, and thus fayre bespake;Ye bene right hart amated, gratious Lord,And of your ignorance great merueill make,Whiles cause not well conceiued ye mistake.But know, that secret vertues are infusdIn euery fountaine, and in euerie lake,Which who hath skill them rightly to haue chusd,To proofe of passing wonders hath full often vsd.
Of those some were so from their sourse indewdBy great Dame Nature, from whose fruitfull papTheir welheads spring, and are with moisture deawd;Which feedes each liuing plant with liquid sap,And filles with flowres fayre Floræs painted lap:But other some by guifte of later grace,Or by good prayers, or by other hap,Had vertue pourd into their waters bace,And thenceforth were renowmd, and sought from place place.
Such
