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The first Booke of
Cant. IIII.
Great Iunoes golden chayre, the which they sayThe Gods stand gazing on, when she does rideTo Ioues high hous through heauens bras paued wayDrawne of fayre Pecocks, that excell in pride,And full of Argus eyes their tayles dispredden wide.
But this was drawne of six vnequall beasts,On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde,Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts,With like conditions to their kindes applyde:Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde,Was sluggish Idlenesse the nourse of sin;Vpon a slouthfull Asse he chose to ryde,Arayd in habit blacke, and amis thin,Like to an holy Monck, the seruice to begin.
And in his hand his Portesse still he bare,That much was worne, but therein little redd,For of deuotion he had little care,Still drownd in sleepe, and most of his daies dedd;Scarse could he once vphold his heauie hedd,To looken, whether it were night or day:May seeme the wayne was very euill ledd,When such an one had guiding of the way,That knew not, whether right he went, or else astray.
From worldly cares himselfe he did esloyne,And greatly shunned manly exercise,From euerie worke he chalenged essoyne,For contemplation sake: yet otherwise,His life he led in lawlesse riotise;By which he grew to grieuous malady;For in his lustlesse limbs through euill guiseA shaking feuer raignd continually:Such one was Idlenesse, first of this company.
And
