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.

Iustice.

Now when the world with sin gan to abound, Astraea loathing longer here to space Mongst wicked men in whom no truth she found, Returnd to heauen whence she deriu'd her race, Where she hath now an euerlasting place. Mongst those twelue signes which rightly we do see, The heauens bright shining bawdrick to inchace: And is the virgin sixt in her degree, And next her self, her righteous ballance hanging bee. Ed. Spencer.

Then iustice comes the last of all the gods, That left her residence here on the earth: For lacke of whom the world grew all at ods, And man to man curses each others birth. For then vsurping wrong succeeded straight, That no man knew how long to hold his right: Then calls the world for Iustice back againe, Complaining how they now were ouerrunne, And they would suffer any scourging paine, In pennance for those sinnes themselues had donne. For that their wickednesse did force that power To leaue the seate whereas she sate before, Whereas the Gods did in their courts decree, Iustice should be transformed to the starres:

There foolish men might euery minute see Her that should helpe these miseries of theirs, But stand like Tantalus within those brinkes, Where he sees water, but yet neuer drinkes. Ch. Middleton.

— Faire Astraea of the Titans line, Whom equitie and iustice made diuine. M. Drayton.

—Well did the Anticke world inuent, That Iustice was a God of soueraigne grace, And Altars vnto him and temples lent, And heauenly honours in the highest place. Calling him, great Osyris of the race, Of th'old Aegyptian Kings, that whilome were, With fained colours shading a true case: For that Osyris whil'st he liued here, The iustest man aliue and truest did aspire. His wife was Isis, whom they likewise made A goddesse of great power and soueraigntie: And in her person cunningly did shade, That part of Iustice which is equitie. Ed. Spencer.

Vntill the world ftom his perfection fell, Into all filth and foule iniquitie: Astraea here mongst earthly men did dwell, And in the rules of iustice then and stumbled well. Idem.

Where Iustice growes, there growes eke quiet grace, The which doth quench the brand of hellish smart, And that accurst hand-writing doth deface. Idem.

—Sparing Iustice, feeds iniquitie. W. Shakespeare.

The first was Bacchus, that with furious might, All th'east before vntam'de did ouerrunne, And wrong repressed and establisht right, Which lawlesse men had formerly foredone, Their iustice forc't her princely rule begunne. Next Hercules, his like ensample shewed, Who all the west with equall conquest wonne. And monstrous Tirants with his club subdued, The club of Iustice dread, with kingly power endued. Ed. Spencer.

Who so vpon himselfe will take the skill, And Iustice vnto people to deuide, Had need of mightie hands for to fulfill That which he doth, with righteous doome decide, And for to maister wrong and puissant pride: For vaine it is to deeme of things aright, And make wrong doers Iustice to deride Vnlesse it be perform'd with dreadlesse might, For power is the right-hand of iustice truly hight. Idem.

Offences vrg'd in publike, are made worse, The shew of Iustice aggrauates despight: The multitude that looke not to the cause, Rest satsfied, so it be done by lawes. S. Daniel.

It often falles in course of common life, That right long time is ouerborne of wrong, Through auarice or power, or guile, or strife, That weakens her, and makes her partie strong,

But Iustice though her doome she do prolong. Yet at the last she will her owne cause right. Fd. Spencer.

Good causes need not curious termes, & equall Iudges heare The equitie, not eloquence. W. Warner.

Who passeth iudgement for his priuate gaine, He well may iudge he is adiudg'd to paine. R. Greene.