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.

Feeling.

Lastly, the feeling power which is lifes roote, Through euery liuing part it selfe doth shed, By sinewes which extend from head to foote, And like a net all ouer the body spred. Much like a subtill spider which doth sit In middle of her web which spreddeth wide: If ought do touth the outmost thred of it, She feeles it instantly on euery side. I. Dauies.

By touch the first pure qualities we learne, Which quicken all things, hot, cold, moist, and drie: By touch, hard, soft, rough, swoot, we do discerne, By touch, sweet pleasure and sharpe paine we trie. These are the outward instruments of sence.

These are the guardes which euery one must passe, Ere it approach the mindes intelligence, Or touch the phantasie, wits looking glasse. Idem.

But the fift troupe most horrible of hue, And fierce of force was dreadfull to report: For some like snailes, some did like spiders shewe, And some like ougly vrchins thicke and short, Cruelly they assailed that fift fort▪ Armed with darts of sensuall delight, With strings of carnall lust and strong effect. Of feeling pleasures, with which day and night Against the same fift bulwarke they continued fight. Ed. Spencer.