Paradise sig. Hir

[sig. Hir]

Nothing did want wherein twas thought, that he could take delite, To feede his eye, to fill his mouth, or please the appetite: Such store of plate, I thinke in Greece, + there scarsly was so much, His seruitures did Angels seeme, their passing shape was such. (25) No daintie dish but there it was, and thereof was such store. That through out Greece + so Princely cheare, was neuer sene before: Thus while in pompe and pleasures seate, this Damacles was plast, And did begin with gladsome hart, ech daintie dish to tast. At length by chaunce cast vp his eyes, and gan the house to vew, (30) And saw a sight that him enforst, his Princely state to rew: A sword forsooth with downward poinct, that no stronger thred, Then one horse heare that peised it, direct vpon his hed. Wherewith he was so sore amas’d, and shooke in euery part, As though the sword that hong aboue, had stroke him to the hart: (35) Then all their pleasures tooke their leaue, and sorrow came in place, His heauy hart the teares declard, that trickled downe his face. And then forthwith with sobbing voyce, besought the king of grace, That he would licence him with speede, to depart out of that place, And sayd that he full long enough, had tried now with feare, (40) What tis to be a happie man, and princely rule to beare. This deede of thine oh Dionise, deserues immortall fame, This deede shall alwayes liue with prayse, though thou didst liue with shame Whereby both kinges be put in mynde, their daungers to be greate, And subiectes be forbid to climbe, high steppes of honours seate.

FINIS. M. Edwardes.

55. Fortitude. A young man of
Ægipt and Valerian.
+

E Che one deserues great prayse to haue, but yet not like I thinke, Both he that can sustaine the yoke of paynes, and doth not shrinke And he whom Cupids couert craft can nothing moue at all, Into the hard and tangled knots of Venus snares to fall. (5) Besturre you then who so delightes, in vertues race to runne, The flying boye with bow ibent, by strength to ouercome: As one did once when he was yong, and in his tender dayes, Whose stoute and noble deede of his, hath got immortall prayse. The wicked Romaines did pursue, the silly Christians than,