Paradise sig. Hiv

[sig. Hiv]

(10) What time Valerian Emperour was, a wicked cruell man: who spared not with bloudy draughtes, to quench his owne desire, Dispatching all that stuck to Christ, with hot consuming fire. At length a man of tender yeares, was brought before his sight, Such one as nature seemed to make, a witnesse of her might: (15) For euery part so well was set, that nothing was depraued. So that the cruell king himselfe, would gladly him haue saued. So loth he was to see a worke, so rare of natures power, So finely built, so sodainly destroyed within an hower: Then meanes he sought to ouercome, or win him at the lest, (20) To slip from Christ, whom he before, had earnestly profest: A bed prepard, so finely dect, such diuers pleasaunt smells, That well it might appeare a place, where pleasure onely dwells: By him he layd a naked wench, a Venus darling sure, With sugred speach and louely toyes, that might his mynde allure. (25) such wanton louers as these he thought, might easly him entise. Which thinges he knew with lustie youth, had alwayes bene in prise: such wayes I thinke the Gods them selues, could haue inuented none. For flattering Venus ouercomes, the sences euerychone. And he himselfe was euen at point, to Venus to consent, (30) Had his stout and manly minde, resisted his entent: When he perceiued his flesh to yeld, to pleasure not wanton toyes, And was by slight almost prouoked, to cast of Venus ioyes. More cruell to himselfe then those, that glad would him vndoo, With bloudy tooth, his tender tongue, bit quite and cleane in twoo: (35) Thus was the payne so passing great, of this his bloudy bit, That all the fire and carnall lust, was quenched euery whit. Do ill and all thy pleasures then, full soone will passe away, But yet the shame of those thy deedes, will more decay: Do well, and though thy paynes be great, yet soone ech one will cease, (40) But yet, the prayse of those thy deedes, will euermore encrease.

FINIS. M. Edwardes.

56. Iustice, Zaleuch and his sonne. +

L Et rulers make most perfect lawes, to rule both great and small, If they themselues obey them not, it booteth not at all: As lawes be nought but rulers dome, containyng equall might, So rulers should be speaking Lawes, to rule by line of right.