Englands Parnassus: or the choysest flowers of our moderne poets, with their poeticall comparisons Descriptions of bewties, personages, castles, pallaces, mountaines, groues, seas, springs, riuers, &c. Whereunto are annexed other various discourses, both pleasaunt and profitable.

Man.

In time conuenient this world Almightie created, And it a large theater to behold, his glory appointed: Which whē he had with store of treasures richly replenisht, And with aboundant grace causd euery part to be furnisht, Man was made at length, Adam was quickly created Most perfect creature, and like to the mightie Creator, Good wit, immortall, of mankind only beginner. But proud ambition the serpent craftily cloaking, With curst and bitter sweete, his cankred poyson abounding. Adam dispossest of pleasant beautifull harbors. Adams heart possest with most vnspeakable horrors. Man was mard at length, Adam was fouly defaced. Last worke and lost worke, Adam was filthily fowled: Most cursed creature, vnlike to the mightie Creator, Bad, foolish, mortall, of mankind only the murderer. A. France.

—Vile man begot of clay, and borne of dust. Ed. Fairfax.

Man composed first of slime, Doth liue to lead his daies in strife: And as the heauens do that dispose, So shuts and spreads he with the rose. D. Lodge.

Time ouer old and yoong is still reuolued, Within it selfe, and neuer tasteth end: But mankind is to nought for aye reserued,

The filthy snake her aged coat can mend. And getting youth againe, in youth doth flourish: But vnto man age euer death doth send. The very trees with grafting we can cherish: So that we can long time produce their time, But man which helpeth them, helplesse must perish. S. Phil. Sidney.

O trustlesse state of miserable men, That build your blisse on hope of earthly thing: And vainly thinke your selues halfe happie then, When painted faces with smooth flattering Do fawne on you, and your wide praises sing. And when the courting masker louteth low, Him free in heart, and trustie too you know. Ed. Spencer.

He that comparde mans body to a hoaste, Said that the hands were scouts discouering harmes: The feet were horsemen thundering on the coaste. The brest and stomacke foe men, huge in swarmes, But for the head in soueraigntie did boast, It captaine was, directer of alarmes. Whose rashnesse if it hazarded any ill, Not he alone, but all the hoast did spill. I. Markeham.

Each creature not grudging at mans glorie, Vnto his life becomes contributorie. Idem.

Like flouds in sommer, or flowing springs in the win∣ter, So man consumeth: No trust or firmenesse in life, that flies like a shadow? What then alas is man That so presumeth? D. Lodge.

The shadow of the clocke by motion wends, We see it passe, yet marke not when it parts: So what is mans declines, and sudden ends, Each thing begins, continues and conuerts. Idem.

—Man to woman giueth all perfection, And as our chiefe Philosophers do say, Woman by man is perfect made each way. I. VVeeuer.

—Man is loaden with ten thousand languors, All other creatures only feele the angors Of fewe diseases; as the gleaming quaile, Only the falling sicknes doth assaile. The turne-about and murraine trouble cattle, Madnesse and quincie bid the mastife battle. I. Siluester.

••t doth exceed mans thought to thinke how hie God hath raisd man, since God a man became: The Angels do admire this mysterie, And are astonisht when they view the same. I. Dauies.

Men do not know what they themselues will bee, When as more then themselues, themselues they see. S. Daniell.

••ike as the fatall rauen that in his voyce ••arries the dreadfull summons of our deaths, ••ies by the faire Arabian spiceries, ••er pleasant gardens and delightfull parts, ••eeming to curse them with his hoarse exclaimes: ••nd yet doth stoupe with hungry violence, ••pon a peece of hatefull carrion.

So wretched man displeas'd with those delights, Would yeeld a quickning sauour to his soule, Pursues with eager and vnstanched thirst, The greedy longings of his loathsome flesh. G. Peele.

Man is a little world, and beares the face And picture of the vniuersitie: All but resembleth God, all but is glasse, All but the picture of his maiestie. Man is the little world (so we him call) The world the little God, God the great all. Th. Bastard.

The gallant courser in his full carrire Is made by man to stoppe with slender raine: But man himselfe his lust and fond desire Is sildome drawne by reason to refraine. Tis hard to stop, but harder to retire, When youthfull course ensueth pleasure vaine. As beares do breake the hiues and weake defences, When smell of hony commeth to their sences. S. I. H.

Great Pompey in the midst of victorie, All vnexpected happened to his end: And Caesar in his greatest maiestie Vntimely murdered by his dearest friend. Such are mens best estates, more wretched they, In greatest pompe most subiect to decay. Ch. Midleton.

What doth make men without the parts of men, Or in their manhoods lesse then children But manlesse natures? all this world was namd'd

A world of him for whom it first was framde (Who like a tender cheuerell shrunke with fire Of base ambition, and of selfe desire) His armes into his shoulders crept, for feare Bountie should vse them, and fierce rape forbeare, His legs into his greedy belly runne, The charge of hospitalitie to shunne) In him the world is to a lumpe reuerst: That shrunke from forme that was by forme disperst. And in nought more then thanklesse auarice, Not rendring vertue her deserued price. G. Chapman.

Like as rude Painters that contend to showe Beasts, fowles, or fish, all artlesse to bestowe On euery side his natiue counterfet, Aboue his head his name had need to set. So men that will be men in more then fate (As in their forheads) should in actions place More perfect characters to proue they be No mockers of their first nobilitie. Els may they easily passe for beasts or foules, Soules praise our shapes, and not our shapes our soules. Idem.

When as men all do know, then nothing know. S. Daniell.

—The milder passions doth show man. For as the leafe doth bewtifie the tree, The pleasant flowers bedeck the flourishing spring, Euen so in men of greatest reach and power, A mild and piteous thought augments renowne. D. Lodge.

No man before his end is truly blest. T. Dekkar.

—Man to man, as beast to beast, holds ciuil duties vain. W. Warner.

Mans inward parts are colder and the nummer, When outwardly they feele a boyling sommer. Mans voyce in euery ones opinion, is but an airie repercussion▪ D. Lodge.