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.

Riches. Description of Mammon.

At last he came vnto a gloomy glade, Couered with boughes and shades from heauen light: Whereas he sitting found in secret shade, An vncouth, saluage, and vnciuill wight, Of grisly hue, and foule ilfauoured sight: His face with smoake was tand, and eies were bleard, His head and beard with sowte were all bedight, His coale blacke hands did seeme to haue bene seard, In smith-fiers spitting forge, & nails like claws appeard. His Iron coate all ouergrowne with rust, Was vnderneath enueloped with gold, Whose glittering glose darkened with filthy dust Well it appeared to haue bene of old, A worke of rich entraile and curious molde, Wouen with Anticks and wilde Imagerie, And in his lap a masse of coyne he tolde And turned vpside downe to feed his eie, A couetous desire with his huge treasurie: And round about him lay on euery side, Great heapes of gold that neuer could be spent, Of Mulcibers deuouring element: Some others were nere driuen and distent

Into great Ingoes and to wedges square, Some in round plates without monument: But some were stampt, and in their end all bare, The Anticke shapes of Kings and Keysars, strange and rare. Ed. Spencer.

Mammon.

—I riches reade And deeme them roote of all disquietnes: First got with guile, and then preseru'd with dread, And after spent with pride and lauishnes: Leauing behind them griefe and heauines. Infinit mischiefes of them do arise, Strife and debate, blood-shead and bitternes, Outragious wrong, and hellish couetize, That noble heart as great dishonor doth despise. Idem.

—It's but a little slide That doth the house of riches from her mouth diuide. Before the doore sate selfe-consuming care, Day and night keeping wary watch and ward: For feare least fotce or fraud should vnaware Breake in and spoyle the treasure there ingard. Ne would he suffer sleepe once thitherward Approach, albe his drowsie den were next, For next to death is sleepe to be compar'd, Therefore his house is vnto his annext, Here sleep, there riches, & hel gate them both betwixt. Ed. Spencer.

VVell may a rich mans hearse want teares, but heires he shall not misse, To whom that he is dead at length no little ioy it is. vv. vvarner.

Good is no good, but if it be spend, God giueth good for no other end. Ed. Spencer.

Vessels of brasse, oft handled brightly shine, What difference betweene the richest mine And basest earth, but vse? for both not vsde Are of little worth: then treasure is abusde When misers keepe it, being put to lone, In time it will returne vs two for one. Ch. Marlowe.

Gold is a sutor, neuer tooke repulse, It carries Palme with it, (where e're it goes) Respect, and obseruation; it vncouers The knottie heads of the most surly Groomes, Enforcing yron doores to yeeld it way, Were they as strong ram'd vp as Aetna gates. It bends the hams of Gossip Vigilance, And makes her supple feete, as swift as winde. It thawes the frostiest, and most stiffe disdaine: Muffles the clearnesse of Election, Straines fancie vnto foule Apostacie. And strikes the quickest-sighted Iudgement blinde. Then why should we dispaire? dispaire? Away: Where Gold's the Motiue, women haue no Nay. B. Iohnson.

Wealth in this age will scarcely looke on merit. Idem.

—Gentry doth small auaile, And vertue lesse, if lands and riches faile. S. I. H.