THE TEARES OF THE MUSES.
453
And all that els was wont to worke delight
Through the divine infusion of their skill,
And all that els seemd faire and fresh in sight,
So made by nature for to serve their will, 40
Was turned now to dismall heavinesse,
Was turned now to dreadful uglinesse.
Through the divine infusion of their skill,
And all that els seemd faire and fresh in sight,
So made by nature for to serve their will, 40
Was turned now to dismall heavinesse,
Was turned now to dreadful uglinesse.
Ay me! what thing on earth that all thing breeds,
Might be the cause of so impatient plight?
What furie, or what feend, with felon deeds 45
Hath stirred up so mischievous despight?
Can griefe then enter into heavenly harts,
And pierce immortall breasts with mortall smarts?
Might be the cause of so impatient plight?
What furie, or what feend, with felon deeds 45
Hath stirred up so mischievous despight?
Can griefe then enter into heavenly harts,
And pierce immortall breasts with mortall smarts?
Vouchsafe ye then, whom onely it concernes,
To me those secret causes to display; 50
For none but you, or who of you it learnes,
Can rightfully aread so dolefull lay.
Begin, thou eldest sister of the crew,
And let the rest in order thee ensew.
To me those secret causes to display; 50
For none but you, or who of you it learnes,
Can rightfully aread so dolefull lay.
Begin, thou eldest sister of the crew,
And let the rest in order thee ensew.
Clio.
Heare thou great father of the gods on hie, 55
That most art dreaded for thy thunder darts;
And thou our sire, that raignst in Castalie
And Mount Parnasse, the god of goodly arts:
Heare, and behold the miserable state
Of us thy daughters, doleful desolate. 60
Heare thou great father of the gods on hie, 55
That most art dreaded for thy thunder darts;
And thou our sire, that raignst in Castalie
And Mount Parnasse, the god of goodly arts:
Heare, and behold the miserable state
Of us thy daughters, doleful desolate. 60
Behold the fowle reproach and open shame,
The which is day by day unto us wrought
By such as hate the honour of our name,
The foes of learning and teach gentle thought;
They, not contented us themselves to scorne, 65
Doo seeke to make us of the world forlorne.
The which is day by day unto us wrought
By such as hate the honour of our name,
The foes of learning and teach gentle thought;
They, not contented us themselves to scorne, 65
Doo seeke to make us of the world forlorne.
Ne onely they that dwell in lowly dust,
The sonnes of darknes and of ignoraunce;
But they, whom thou, great love, by doome uniust
Didst to the type of honour earst advaunce; 70
They now, puft up with sdeignfull insolence,
Despise the brood of blessed sapience.
The sonnes of darknes and of ignoraunce;
But they, whom thou, great love, by doome uniust
Didst to the type of honour earst advaunce; 70
They now, puft up with sdeignfull insolence,
Despise the brood of blessed sapience.
The sectaries of my celestiall skill,
That wont to be the worlds chiefe ornament,
And learned impes that wont to shoote up still, 75
And grow to height of kingdomes government,
They underkeep, and with their spreading armes
Do beat their huds, that perish through their harmes.
That wont to be the worlds chiefe ornament,
And learned impes that wont to shoote up still, 75
And grow to height of kingdomes government,
They underkeep, and with their spreading armes
Do beat their huds, that perish through their harmes.
It most behoves the honorable race
Of mightie peeres true wisedome to sustaine, 80
And with their noble countenaunce to grace
The learned forheads, without gifts or gaine:
Or rather learnd themselves behoves to bee;
That is the girlond of nobilitie.
Of mightie peeres true wisedome to sustaine, 80
And with their noble countenaunce to grace
The learned forheads, without gifts or gaine:
Or rather learnd themselves behoves to bee;
That is the girlond of nobilitie.
But (ah!) all otherwise they doo esteeme 85
Of th'heavenly gift of wisdomes influence,
And to be learned it a base thing deeme;
Base minded they that want intelligence;
For God himselfe for wisedome most is praised,
And men to God thereby are nighest raised. 90
Of th'heavenly gift of wisdomes influence,
And to be learned it a base thing deeme;
Base minded they that want intelligence;
For God himselfe for wisedome most is praised,
And men to God thereby are nighest raised. 90
But they doo onely strive themselves to raise
Through pompous pride, and foolish vanitie;
In th' eyes of people they put all their praise,
And onely boast of armes and auncestrie:
But vertuous deeds, which did those armes first give
To their grandsyres, they care not to atchive. 96
Through pompous pride, and foolish vanitie;
In th' eyes of people they put all their praise,
And onely boast of armes and auncestrie:
But vertuous deeds, which did those armes first give
To their grandsyres, they care not to atchive. 96
So I, that doo all noble feates professe
To register, and sound in trump of gold;
Through their bad dooings, or base slothfulnesse,
Finde nothing worthie to be writ, or told: 100
For better farre it were to hide their names,
Then telling them to blazon out their blames.
To register, and sound in trump of gold;
Through their bad dooings, or base slothfulnesse,
Finde nothing worthie to be writ, or told: 100
For better farre it were to hide their names,
Then telling them to blazon out their blames.
So shall succeeding ages have no light
Of things forepast, nor moniments of time;
And all that in this world is worthie hight 105
Shall die in darknesse, and lie hid in slime!
Therefore I mourne with deep harts sorrowing,
Because I nothing noble have to sing.—
Of things forepast, nor moniments of time;
And all that in this world is worthie hight 105
Shall die in darknesse, and lie hid in slime!
Therefore I mourne with deep harts sorrowing,
Because I nothing noble have to sing.—
With that she raynd such store of streaming teares,
That could have made a stonie heart to weep; 110
And all her sisters rent their golden heares,
And their faire faces with salt humour steep.
So ended shee: and then the next in rew
Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew.
That could have made a stonie heart to weep; 110
And all her sisters rent their golden heares,
And their faire faces with salt humour steep.
So ended shee: and then the next in rew
Began her grievous plaint, as doth ensew.
MELPOMENE.
O! who shall powre into my swollen eyes 115
A sea of teares that never may be dryde,
A brazen voice that may with shrilling cryes
Pierce the dull heavens and fill the ayër wide,
And yron sides that sighing may endure,
To waile the wretchednes of world impure? 120
O! who shall powre into my swollen eyes 115
A sea of teares that never may be dryde,
A brazen voice that may with shrilling cryes
Pierce the dull heavens and fill the ayër wide,
And yron sides that sighing may endure,
To waile the wretchednes of world impure? 120
Ah! wretched world, the den of wickednesse,
Deformd with filth, and fowle iniquitie;
Ah! wretched world, the house of heavinesse,
Fild with the wreaks of mortall miserie;
Ah! wretched world, and all that is therein, 125
The vassals of Gods wrath, and slaves to sin.
Deformd with filth, and fowle iniquitie;
Ah! wretched world, the house of heavinesse,
Fild with the wreaks of mortall miserie;
Ah! wretched world, and all that is therein, 125
The vassals of Gods wrath, and slaves to sin.
Most miserable creature under sky
Man without understanding doth appeare;
For all this worlds affliction he thereby,
And fortunes freakes, is wisely taught to beare:
Of wretched life the only ioy shee is, 131
And th' only comfort in calamities.
Man without understanding doth appeare;
For all this worlds affliction he thereby,
And fortunes freakes, is wisely taught to beare:
Of wretched life the only ioy shee is, 131
And th' only comfort in calamities.
She armes the brest with constant patience
Against the bitter throwes of dolours darts:
She solaceth with rules of sapience 135
The gentle minds, in midst of worldly smarts:
When he is sad, shee seeks to make him merie,
And doth refresh his sprights when they be werie.
Against the bitter throwes of dolours darts:
She solaceth with rules of sapience 135
The gentle minds, in midst of worldly smarts:
When he is sad, shee seeks to make him merie,
And doth refresh his sprights when they be werie.
But he that is of reasons skill bereft,
And wants the staffe of wisedome him to stay, 140
Is like a ship in midst of tempest left
Withouten helme or pilot her to sway:
Full sad and dreadfull is that ships event;
So is the man that wants intendiment.
And wants the staffe of wisedome him to stay, 140
Is like a ship in midst of tempest left
Withouten helme or pilot her to sway:
Full sad and dreadfull is that ships event;
So is the man that wants intendiment.
Why then doo foolish men so much despize 145
The precious store of this celestiall riches?
Why doo they banish us, that patronize
The name of learning? Most unhappie wretches!
The which lie drowned in deep wretchednes,
Yet doo not see their owne unhappiness. 150
The precious store of this celestiall riches?
Why doo they banish us, that patronize
The name of learning? Most unhappie wretches!
The which lie drowned in deep wretchednes,
Yet doo not see their owne unhappiness. 150
My part it is and my professed skill
The stage with tragick buskin to adorne,
And fill the scene with plaint and outcries shrill
Of wretched persons, to misfortune borne:
But none more tragick matter I can finde 155
Then this, of men depriv'd of sense and minde.
The stage with tragick buskin to adorne,
And fill the scene with plaint and outcries shrill
Of wretched persons, to misfortune borne:
But none more tragick matter I can finde 155
Then this, of men depriv'd of sense and minde.
