EMBLEME X.

Motto: Soli Deo Gloria.

HERE man with axe doth cut the bough in twaine,
And without him the axe could nothing doe;
Within the toole there doth no force remaine,

But man it is that mighte doth put thereto :
Like to this axe is man in all his deedes,
Who hath no strength but what from God
proceedes.

Then let him not make vaunt of his desert,
Nor bragge thereof when he good deedes hath
done;

For it is God that worketh in his harte,

And with his grace to good doth make him ronne. And of himselfe hee weake theretoo doth liue, And God giues power, to whom all glorie giue.

EMBLEME XI.

Motto: Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire. HERE man, who first should heauenlie thinges attaine,

And then to world his sences should incline,
First vndergoes the worlde with might and maine,
And then at foote doth drawe the lawes deuine:
Thus God hee beares and Mammon in his
minde,

But Mammon first, and God doth come behinde.

Oh worldlinges fonde, that ioyne these two so ill, The league is nought, throwe doune the world with speede:

Take vp the lawe, according to his will;

First seeke for heauen, and then for worldly neede:

But those that first their worldlie wishe doe

serue,

Their gaine is losse, and seeke their soules to

sterue.

EMBLEME XII.

Motto: Superest quod supra est.

ADVE, deceiptfull worlde, thy pleasures I detest; Nowe others with thy showes delude; my hope in heauen doth rest.

Inlarged as followeth.

Even as a flower, or like vnto the

grasse, Which now dothe stande, and straight with sithe dothe fall1;

So is our state: now here, now hence we passe2: For Time attendes with shredding sithe for all, And Deathe at lengthe both oulde and yonge doth strike3,

And into dust dothe turne vs all alike.

Yet, if wee marke how swifte our race dothe ronne, And waighe the cause, why wee created bee; Then shall wee know, when that this life is donne, Wee shall bee sure our countrie right to see.

For here wee are but straungers, that must flitte1: The nearer home, the nearer to the pitte. O happie they, that pondering this arighte, Before that here their pilgrimage bee past, Resigne this worlde, and marche with all their mighte

Within that pathe that leades where ioyes shall last 5;

And whilst they maye, there treasure vp their store1,

Where, without rust, it lastes for euermore.

This worlde must chaunge: that worlde shall still indure 2:

Here pleasures fade; there shall they endlesse bee3:

Here man doth sinne; and there hee shal bee

pure:

Here deathe hee tastes; and there shall neuer

die*:

Here hath hee griefe; and there shall ioyes possesse,

As none hath seene, nor anie harte can gesse®.

1 Matt. vi.
4 1 Cor. xv.

2 Rev. vi.
5 Rev. xxi.

3 Ib. xxi.
6 1 Cor. ii.

XVII.

HUMPHREY GIFFORD.

THE LIFE OF MAN

METAPHORICALLY COMPARED TO A SHIPPE SAYLING ON THE SEAES IN A TEMPEST.

HASTE homewardes, man; draw neerer to the shore :

The skies doe scowle, the windes doe blow amaine;
The raged rockes with rumbling noyse doe rore,
The foggie clowdes doe threaten stormes of raine:
Ech thing foreshowes a tempest is at hand;
Hoyst up thy sayles, and haste to happy land.
In worldly seaes thy silly ship is tost,
With waues of woe besette on euery side,
Blowne heere and there in daunger to bee lost:
Darke clowdes of sinne doe cause thee wander

wide:

Unlesse thy God pitie some on thee take,

On rockes of rueth thou needes must shipwrack make.

Cut downe the mast of rancour and debate;
Unfraight the shippe of all vnlawfull wares;
Cast ouerboorde the packes of hoorded hate ;
Pumpe out fowle vice, the cause of many cares;
If that some leeke it make thee stand in doubt,
Repentaunce serues to stoppe the water out.
Let God's pure word thy line and compasse bee;
And stedfast fayth vse thou in anckor's steede :
Lament thy sinnes; then shalt thou shortly see
That power diuine will helpe thee forth at neede.

Fell Sathan is chiefe rular of these seaes

Hee seekes our wracke; hee doth these tempestes

rayse.

In what wee may, let vs alwayes represse
The furious waues of lust and fond desire:
A quiet calme our conscience shall possesse,
If wee doe that which dutie doeth require :
By godly life in fine obtaine wee shall

The porte of blisse; to which God send vs all!

IN PRAISE OF THE CONTENTED MINDE.
IF all the ioyes that worldly wightes posesse
Were throughly scand, and pondred in their
kindes,

No man of wit but iustly must confesse

That they ioy most that haue contented mindes;
And other ioyes, which beare the name of ioyes,
Are not right ioyes, but sunneshines of anoyes.
In outward view we see a number glad,
Which make a shew as if mirth did abound,
When pinching grief within doth make them sad :
And many a one in these dayes may bee found,
Which faintly smile to shroud their sorowes so,
When oftentimes they pine in secreet woe.

But euery man that holdes himselfe content,
And yeeldes God thankes, as dutie doth require,
For all his giftes that hee to vs hath sent,
And is not vext with ouer great desire:
And such, I say, most quietly doe sleepe,
When fretting cares doth others waking keepe.
What doth auaile huge heapes of shining golde,
Or gay attyre, or stately buildinges braue,