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.

Court.

The Princes Court is mansion of the wise. Figure of heauen, faire fountaine of delights, Theater of honours, earthly paradice, Sudden aduancer, Spheare of purest light, The liuely Vatican of bewties bright. Thither let Phoebus progenie resort, Where shines their father, but in Ioues great Court? Th. Storer.

— This is euer proper vnto Courts, That nothing can be done but fame reports. S. Daniell.

To censure is the subiect of the Court, From thence fame carries, thither fame doth bring, There too each word, a thousand ecchoes ring, A Lotterie, where most loose, but fewe do winne. M. Drayton.

Nothing in Court is done without a fee, The Courtier needs must recompenced bee. E. Sp.

Most miserable man, whom wicked fate Hath brought to Court to sue for, had I wist, That fewe hath found, but many one hath mist. Idem.

— The Court is counted Venus net, Where gifts and vows, forestalls are often set: None be so chaste as Vesta, but shall meere, A curteous tongue, to charme her eates with sweete. R. Greene.

—The Court hath much of vanitie and painfull ease. W. ƲƲarner.

—The Court is now become a skittish colte, Of wise men hardlier man aged then of the glorious dolt, Idem.

These all deformities in forme in some one man we see, More garded then regarded, franke not to continue free, Whē as the merchāts booke, the map of all his wealth shalbe. Idem.

Sometimes the courts of kings were vertuous schooles, Now finde we nought in Court, but curious fooles. O you whose noble hearts cannot accord, To be the the slaues to an infamous Lord, And knowes not how to mixe with perillous art, The deadly poyson with the amorous dart, Whose natures being found, wills no constraint, Nor will your face with flattering pensill paint. For weele nor woe, for pitie nor for hire, Of good my Lords their fauours to require, Goe not to Court, if ye will me beleeue, For in that place where ye thinke to releeue: The honour due fot vertue yee shall finde, Nought but contempt which leaues good men behind. Th. Hudson. Transl.

The wanton luxurie of Court, Doth forme the people of like sort. S. Daniell.

Ye worthy dames that in your breasts do beare, Of your all-seeing god, no seruile feare: Ye that of honour haue a greater care, Then sights of Courts, I pray you come not there, Let them that in their purse haue not a mite, Cloathe them like Kings, and play the Hypocrite, And with a lying tale and fained cheare, Court-coozen them whom they would see on beare, Let there the Pandar sell his wife for gaine, With seruice vile, his noblesse to attaine: Let him that serues the time, chaunge his intent, With faith vnconstant saile at euery vent. Th. Hudsrn. Transl.

The Court was neuer barren yet of those Which could with subtill traine, and hard aduise, Worke on the Princes weakenes and dispose, Of feeble frailtie easiest to entice. S. Daniell.

Golden cuppes do harbor poyson, And the greatest pompe dissembling, Court of seasoned words hath foyson Treason haunts in most dissembling. D. Lodge.

Ye fearefull wits, ye impes of Achelous, Which wracks the wisest youth with charming voice, Ye Circes, who by your enchauntment strange, In stones and swine, your Louers true doo change: Ye Stymphalids, who with your youth vptakes, Ye Rauens that from vs our riches takes. Ye who with riches, art, and painted face, For Priams wife puts Castor's sister in place.

Ye Myrrhaes, Canaces, and Semyrames, And if there were yet moe defamed dames, Come all to Court, and there ye shall receiue A thousand gaines, vnmeete for you to haue, There shall you see the gifts of great prouinces, There shall you see the grace of gracelesse Princes. Th. Hudson. Transl.

Courtiers as the tide do rise and fall. Ed. Spencer.

— It doth not sit With Courtiers maiestie to be reputed Too learn'd, too graue, too fine, or too conceited. Thomas Stouer.

Who full of wealth and honours blandishment, Among great Lords his yoonger yeares hath spent, And quaffing deeply of the Court delights, Vsde nought but tilts, armours, and maskes, and sights, If in his age his Princes angry doome, With deepe disgrace, daine him to liue at home In homely cottage, where continually The bitter smoake exhales aboundantly, From his before vnsorrowe-drained braine, The brackish vapours of a siluer raine, Where vsher lesse both day and night the North, South East, and West windes enter and go forth. Where round about the lower roofte-broke walles, In stead of Arras, hang with Spider calles: Where all at once he reacheth as he stands, With brows the roofe, both walls with both his hands. He weepes and sighes, and shunning comforts aye, Wisheth pale death a thousand times a day,

And yet at length falling to worke, is glad To bite a browne crust that the mouse hath had, And in a dish, in stead of Plate or glasse, Sups oaten drinke, in stead of Hypocrasse. I. Syluister.