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.

Hearing.

Eares office is the troubled aire to take, Which in their mazes formes a sound or noyse, Whereof her selfe doth true distinction make. The wickets of the soule are plac'd on hie, Because all sounds do lightly mount aloft: And that they may not pierce too violently, They are delaid with turnes and windings oft. I. Dauies.

As streames which with their winding bankes do play, Stopt by their creekes runne softly through the plaine: So in the eares labyrinth the voyce doth stay, And doth with easie notice touch the braine. Idem.

It is the slow'st yet the daintiest sence, For euen the eares of such as haue no skill, Perceiue a discord and conceiue offence, And knowing not what's good, yet finde the ill. Idem.

These conduit pipes of knowledge the minde, But th'other three attend the body still: For by their seruices the soule doth finde What things are to the body good or ill. I. Dauies.

The second bulwarke was the hearing sence, Gainst which the second troupe designment makes Deformed creatures, in straunge difference, Some hauing heads like harts, some like to snakes, Some wild like boares, late rowz'd out of the brakes. Slaunderous reproaches and foule infamies,

Leasings, backbitings, and vaine-glorious crake. Bad counsels, praises and false flatteries, All those against that first did send their batteries. Ed. Spencer.