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.

Fame.

A monster swifter none is vnder sunne. Encreasing as in waters we discrie,

The circles small of nothing that begin, Which at the length, vnto such breadth do come, That of a drop which from the skies do fall, The circles spread, and hide the waters all. So Fame in flight encreasing more and more, For at the first, she is not scarcely knowne, But by and by she flits from shore to shore, To clouds from th' earth, her stature straight is growne There whatsoeuer by her trumpe is blowne, The sound that both by sea and land out-flies, Rebounds againe, and verberates the skies: They say, the earth that first the Giants bred, For anger that the Gods did them dispatch, Brought forth this sister of those monsters dead, Full light of foote, swift wings, the winds to catch, Such monster erst did nature neuer hatch. As many plumes she hath as top to toe, So many eyes them vnderneath or moe: And tongues do speake: so many eares do harke, By night tweene heauen she flies and earthly shade, And shreaking takes no quiet sleepe by darke, On houses roofes, or towers as keeper made, She fits by day, and cities threates to inuade, And as she tells what things she sees by view, She rather shewes that's fained false, then true, I. H. Mir. of M.

Fame in a stoale of purple set with eies, And eares, and tongues, caried a golden booke, Vpon the couer, this I sawe engrau'd. Pauci quos aequus amauit Iupiter, aut ardeus euerit ad aethera virtus Dijs geniti. G. Peele.

Fame with golden wings aloft doth flie, Aboue the reach of ruinous decay, And with braue plumes doth beate the ayrie skie, Admir'd of base borne men, from far away. Ed. Spencer.

The Brazen Trompe of Iron winged fame, That mingleth truth with forged lies. E. Fairfax. Transl.

Then came they to the foule and loathsome lake, Darke, deepe, and mirie, of a dreadfull hue, Where was the aged man that neuer stinted To carrie bundles of the names imprinted. This was the man, whom (as I told before) Nature and custome so swift of foote had made, He neuer rested, but ran euermore. And with his comming he did vse this trade: A heape of names within his cloake he bare, And in the Riuer did them all vnlade: Or to (say truth) away he cast them all, Into this streame which Laethe we do call. This prodigall old wrerch no sooner came Vnto this cursed riuers barren banke, But desperately without all feare of blame, Or caring to deserue reward or thanke, He hurl'd therein full many a precious name, Where millions soone into the bottome sanke: Hardly in euery thousand one was found, That was not in the gulfe quite lost and dround: Yet all about great store of birds there flew, As vultures, carren crowes, and chattering pies, And many moe of sundrie kinds and hew,

Making leaude harmonie with their loude cries, These when the carelesse wretch the treasure threw Into the streame, did all they could deuise, What with their tallents some, and some with beake To saue these names, but find themselues too weake. For euer as they thought themselues to raise, To beare away those names of good renowne, The waight of them, so heauie downeward waies, They in the streame were driuen to cast them downe, Onely two swans sustain'd so great a paize In spight of him that sought them all to drowne, These two did still take vp whose names they list, And bare them safe away, and neuer mist. Sometime all vnder the foule lake they diued, And tooke vp some that were with water couered: And those that seem'd condemned, they repriued. And often as about the banke they houered, They caught them, ere they to the streame arriued, Then went they with the names they had recouered, Vp to a hill that stood the water nie, On which a stately Church was built on hie. This place is sacred to immortall fame, And euermore a Nimph stands at the gate, And tooke the names wherewith the two swans came, Whether they early come, or whether late. Then all about the Church she hang'd the same, Before that sacred Image in such rate, As they might then well be assur'd for euer, Spight of that wretch, in safetie to perseuer. S. I. Harr. Transl.

Fame on his right hand in a roabe of gold, Whose stately traine, Time as her page did beare: On which for rich imbroydery was enrold, The deeds of all the Worthies euer were: So strongly wrought as wrong could not impaire, Whose large memorialls she did still reherse, In Poets man immortallizing verse. Two tablets on her goodly brest she bore, The one of Christall, the other Ebonie, Engrau'd with names of all that liu'd before That; the faire booke of heauenly memorie: Th'other, the base scrowle of Infamie. One stuft with Poets, Saints, and Conquerors, Th'other, with Atheists, Tyrants, Vsurers, And in her word appeared as a wonder, Her daring force, and neuer failing might: Which softly spake farre off, as't were a thunder, And round about the world would take their flight, And bring the most obscured things to light. That still the farther off, the greater still, Did euer sound our good, or make our ill. M. Drayton.

Her dwelling is betwixt the earth and skies, Her Turret vnto heauen her top vpreares: The windowes made of Lynceus piercing eies, And all the walles be made of daintiest eares, Where euery thing that's done in earth appeares. No word is whispered in this vaultie round, But in her pallace straitwaies it doth sound: The rafters, trumpets which do rend the aire,

Sounding aloud each name that thither comes. The chinkes like tongues of all things talking heere, And all things past, in memorie do beare. The doores vnlocke with euery word man saith, And opens wide with euery little breath. It's hung about with armes and conquering spoiles, The pillers which support the roofe of this, Are trophies grauen with Herculean toiles. The roofe of garlands, crowne, and ensignes is: In midst of which a Christall Pyramis, All ouer caru'd with men of most renowne, Whose base is her faire chaire, the spire her crowne. Idem.

—Fame Refuge of hope, the harbinger of truth, Hand-mayd of heauen vertues skilfull guide, The life of life, the ages springing youth: Tryumph of ioy, eternities faire bride, The virgins glory, and the martyrs pride. The courages immortall raising fire, The very height to which great thoughts aspire: The staire by which men to the starres do clime: The minds first mouer greatnes to expresse, Faiths armour, and the vanquisher of time. A pleasant sweet against deaths bitternesse, The hie reward which doth all labours blesse: The studie which doth heauenly things impart, The ioy amidst the tedious waies of art. Learnings greene lawrell, Iustice glorious throne, The Muses chariot, memories true food: The Poets life, the gods companion, The fire-reuiuing Phaenix sun-nurst brood.

The spirits eternall image, honours good. The Balsamum which cures the souldiers scarres, The world, discouering seamens happy starres. Idem.

A loftie subiect of it selfe doth bring, Graue words and waightie, of it selfe diuine: And makes the authors holy honour shine. If ye would after ashes liue, beware: To do like Erostrate, who burnt the faire Ephesian Temple, or to win a name To make of brasse a cruell calfe vntame. K. of S.

—Incorporeall Fame Whose waight consists in nothing but her name, Is swifter then the wind, whose tardy plumes Are reeking water, and dull earthly fumes. Ch. Marlowe.

Fame (whereof the world seemes to make such choyce) Is but an Eccho and an idle voyce. S. Daniell.

Vnto this Hydra are we subiect still, Who dares to speake, not caring good or ill. Better it is without renowne to be, Then be renownd for vile iniquitie. K. of K.

—Fame the queene of immortalitie. Ch. Fitz Ieffrey.

Death hath no dart to slay deserued Fame. Ch. Fitz.

This iealous monster hath a thousand eies, Her aiery body hath a thousand wings: Now on the earth, now vp to heauen she flies.

And here and there with euery wind she flings: Nothing so secret but to her appeareth, And apt to credit euery thing she heareth. Foule babling, tell tale, secrets soone bewraier, The aire bred Eccho, the speaker of lies: Shrill-sounding trompet, truths vnkind betraier. False larum-bell, awaking dead mens eies. Fond pratling parrat telling all thou hearest, Oft furthest off, when as thou shouldst be nearest. M. Drayton.

The path is set with danger, leads to fame, When Minos did the Grecians flight denie, He made him wings and mounted through the skie. Idem.

Still fame wil grow if once abroad it flie, Whether it be a troth, or be a lie. Idem.

Fame doth explore what lies most secret hidden, Entring the closet of the pallace dweller, A broad reuealing what i•• forbidden, Of truth and falshood both an equall teller, Tis not a guard can serue for to expell her: The sword of iustice cannot cut her wings, Nor stoppe her mouth from vttering secret things. S. Daniell.

Celestiall goddesse euer-liuing fame, Mineruaes daughter by faire Maias sonne, Of all th'inhabitants of heauens faire frame: Most highly honored since the world begunne, And shall be till the fatall glasse be runne. Soules sweet receit, the healths restoratiue:

Hearts cordiall, the minds preseruatiue. Goddesse of thoughts, muse animating appetite, Aulter of honour, simple of renowne, Shrine of deuotion, yeelding art her merite: Lifes richest treasure, vertues gorgious gowne, Heauens best abilliment, Ariadnes crowne. The Cynosura of the purest thought, Faire Helice, by whom the heart is taught. Ch. Fitz Ieffrey.