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.

Ambition.

Ambition is a Vultur vile, That feedeth on the heart of pride, And finds no rest when all is tride. For worlds cannot confine the one, Th'other lists and bounds hath none. And both subuert the mind, the state Procure destruction, enuy, hate. S. Daniell.

Ambition, fie vpon thy painted cheeke, (Woe worth the beautie sleepes not with the face) For thou art hatefull, foule, vnfaire, vnmeete: A poyson-painted pleasure▪ mads men chase. Thou reasonlesse desire that makes men seeke To kisse the same, whilest fire doth thee imbrace. Thou onely strong disordered, rulest passion, Thou marst mens minds, and pu••st them out of fashiō. I. Markham.

The golden chaine of Homers hie deuise Ambition is, or cursed auarice: Which all gods haling being tied to Ioue Him from his setled height could neuer moue. Intending this, that though that powerfull chaine Of most Herculean vigor to constraine Men from true vertue, or their present states, Attempt a man, that manlesse changes hates: And is enobled with a deathlesse loue,

Of things eternall dignified aboue: Nothing shall stirre him from adorning still, This shape with vertue and his power with will. G. Chapman.

—The greedy thirst of royall crowne That knowes no kindred, nor regards no right, Stird Porrex vp, to pluck his brother downe: Who vnto him assembling forraine might, Made warre on him, and fell himselfe in fight: Whose death to auenge his mother mercilesse Most merciles of women, Eden hight: Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse, And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse. Ed. Spencer.

A diademe once dazeling the eie, The day too darke, to see affinitie: And where the arme is stretcht to reach a crowne, Friendship is broke, the dearest things thrown downe. M. Drayton.

—Realme-rape, spareth neither kin nor friend. I. Higgins. Mir. of Ma.

Who fight for crownes, set life, set all to light, Who aime so hie, wil die, or hit the white. Doctor Lodge.

One riseth by an others fall, and some do clime so fast, That in the clouds they do forget what climats they haue past W. Warner.

The Eagle minded minds that nestle in the sun, Their lofty heads haue leaden heeles, and end where they be∣gun. Idem.

O, fatall is the ascent vnto a crowne,

From whēce men come not down, but tumble downe S. Daniell.

Like as the heauen two Sunnes cannot containe, So in the earth two Kings cannot remaine Of equall state: so doth Ambition craue, One King will not another equall haue. Tho. Hudson. Transl.

Whom so the mindes vnquiet state vpheaues, Be it for loue or feare; when fancie reaues Reason her right, by mocking of the wit, If once the cause of this affection flit, Reason preuailing on the vnbrideled thought, Downe falls he, who by fancie climbd aloft. I. H. M. of Magist.

Desire of rule within a climbing brest To breake a vowe, may beare the buckler best. G. Gascoigne.

In some courts shall you see Ambition Sit peecing Dedalus old waxen wings: But being clapt on and they about to flie, Euen when their hopes are busied in the cloudes They melt against the sunne of maiestie, And downe they tumble to destruction. Tho. Dekkar.

Better sit still men say then rise and fall. High state the bed wherein misfortune lies. Mars most vnfriendly, when most kind he seemes: Who climeth hie on earth, he hardest lights, And lowest falles attends the highest flights. Ed. Fairfax. Transl.

As highest hils with tempest be most touched,

And tops of trees most subiect vnto winde, And as great Towers with stone strongly couched, Haue many falles when they be vnderminde, Euen so by proofe in worldly things we finde, That such as climbe the top of hie degree, From feare of falling neuer can be free. I. H. M. of Magist.

Ambition with the Eagle loues to build, Nor on the mountaine dreads the winter blast: But with selfe soothing doth the humour guild With arguments, correcting what is past. Forecasting kingdomes, dangers vnforecast: Leauing this poore word of content to such, Whose earthly spirits haue not fiery tuch. M. Drayton.

—The ambitious once inur'd to raigne, Can neuer brooke a priuate state againe. S. Daniell.

—Warlike Caesar tempted with the name Of this sweet Island neuer conquered, And enuying the Britons blazed fame, (O hideous hunger of dominion) hither came. Ed. Spencer.

—Ambition In princely pallace and in stately townes, Doth often creep, and close within conuaies (To leaue behind it) damage and decaies: By it be loue and amitie destroid. It breakes the lawes, and common concord beates. Kingdomes and realmes it topsie turuy turnes. G. Gascoigne.

Be not ambitiously a king, nor grudgingly decline,

One God did roote out Cis his stock, and raise vp Iesses line. VV. Warner.

The aspirer once attain'd vnto the toppe, Cuts off those meanes by which himselfe got vp. S. Daniel.

Haughtie Ambition makes a breach in hills, Runs drie by sea amongst the raging scills. Th. Hud.