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.

Dispaire.

Ere long they came where that same wicked wight His dwelling has, lowe in a hollowe Caue, Farre vnderneathe a craggy clift vpright, Darke, dolefull, drery, like a drery graue, That still for carion carkasses doth craue. On top whereof, aye dwells the ghastly Owle, Shriking his balefull note, which euer draue Farre from that haunt, all other chearefull fowle. And all about it wandring ghostes do waile and houle▪ And all about olde stockes and stubs of trees, Whereas, nor fruite, nor leafe was euer seene, Did hang vpon the ragged rocky trees,

On which had many witches hanged beene, Whose carkasses were scattered on the greene, And throwne about the cliffes. Ed. Spencer.

That darkesome caue they enter, where they finde That cursed man, lowe sitting on the ground, Musing full sadly in his sullen minde: Hi•• grisly locks, long growne and vnbound, Disordered hung about his shoulders round And hid his face; through which his hollowe eies Lookt deadly, dull, and stared as astound. His rawebone cheekes through penurie and pine, Were shrunke into his iawes, as he did neuer dine, His garment nought but many ragged clouts, With thornes together pind and patched was, The which his naked sides he wraps abouts. And him beside, there lay vpon the grasse, Adrery coarse, whose life away did passe, All wallowed in his owne, yet luke-warme blood, That from his wound yet welled fresh a lasse. In which a rustie knife fast fixed stood, And made an open passage for the gushing flood. Idem.

Me thought by night, a grisly ghost in darke I sawe, Eke euer still to me with stealing steps she drew, ••he was of colour pale, and deadly hew, Her clothes resembled thousand kinds of thrall, And pictures plaine of hastned deaths withall. I. H. Mir. of M.

—Dispaire The factor for improuident restraint. I. Markeham.

— Dispaire, that deepe disdained elfe, Delightlesse liues, still stabbing of her selfe. D. Lodge.

— As it is not lawfull for a man At such a Kings departure or decease, To leaue the place, and falsifie his faith, So in this place we ought not to surrender That deerer part, till heauen it selfe commaund it. For as they lent vs life to do vs pleasure, So looke they for returne of such a treasure. Th. Kyd.

Farre greater folly is it for to kill Themselues dispairing, then is any ill. I. H. M. of M.

Be resolute, not desperate, the Gods that made thee poore, Can if they will (do wait their will) thy former state rest•••••• W. Warner.

—When last need to desperation driueth Who dareth the most, wisest counsell giueth. S. I. Harrington.

We may in warre sometime take truce with foes, But in Dispaire, we cannot with our woes. M. Drayton.

Dispaire hath euer daunger all contemned. Idem