Category: CLASP III-IV

¹

The bridegroom was all² dressed by Honors fine,
And was attended by the Muses nine.
Virtue strewed flow’rs³ of dispositions sweet,
In honest ways to walk on gentle feet.
A crown of loyalty was on⁴ his head;                              5
Both⁵ Fortitude, and Justice did him lead.⁶
Over his⁷ crown a laurel Fame did⁸ set,
Which Fortune often strived away to get.
And many bells of several censures rung,
And all the streets were⁹ with inquiry hung,                10
And¹⁰ in a chariot of good deeds did ride,
And many thankful hearts run by his side.

¹

Thus bride and bridegroom to the temple² went,
Though Envy strove the marriage to prevent.
Hymen did join their hands, and their³ hearts tied,⁴
Not to dissolve until their bodies died.⁵
The gods did join their souls in wedlock bands;                5
In Heaven’s record their love forever stands.

¹

The² perfumed powder in’s long curls of hair
Were like³ lime-twigs to catch a maid that’s fair.
His glist’ring suit, which every seam Pride laced,⁴
Was⁵ made a bawd for to corrupt the chaste.
A cut-work band, which vanity had wrought,                      5
The⁶ price by which his mistress’s⁷ love was bought;⁸
Silk stockings, garters, roses, all of gold,
Were⁹ bribes by which his mistress’s love did¹⁰ hold.
His¹¹ several colored ribbons he did wear,¹²
Were pages, which to her did letters bear.¹³                         10
Feathers, like sails, did¹⁴ wave with every wind,
Yet by these¹⁵ sails he finds his mistress kind.
His flatt’ring¹⁶ tongue persuades¹⁷ a simple maid
That¹⁸ all is truth, when all is¹⁹ false he said.

Noblest, you see how finely I am dressed,
Yet all is counterfeit that’s here expressed.
Vanity cheats¹ you all, and doth take pride
For to allure you from fair Virtue’s side.

¹

His hair did white like silver ribbons show;²
Knots of experience were tied into.³
His head was covered⁴ all with wisdom’s hat;
Good management the hatband was round⁵ that.
His garments loose yet manly did appear;⁶                                       5
Though time had crumpled them, no spots were there.⁷
His cloak made of a free and noble mind,
Within⁸ with generosity was lined.
And gloves of bounty, which his hands did cover,⁹
Were stitched¹⁰ with love, with free hearts trimmed all over.¹¹  10
A sword of valor hung close by his side,
To cut off all base fears and haughty pride.
His boots were honesty, to walk upon,¹²
And spurs of good desires tied them on.¹³
Thus he was dressed by Honor and by Time;¹⁴                                15
The one did give him wit, the other made him fine.¹⁵

Noble spectators, pray learn this¹ by me,
That nothing without Honor, Time, can² perfect be.
Honor doth dress the mind with virtuous weeds,
And is the parent to all noble deeds.
Time doth the body dress with youth and age,                      5
And is great Nature’s chambermaid and page.
If in Time’s cabinet³ great spoils you find,
The fault is ignorance, stupid and⁴ blind,
Which careless is, and tumbles⁵ all about,
Misplacing all, taking the⁶ wrong things out.                         10
But Time’s a housewife good, and takes much pain
To order all as Nature did ordain.
On several heaps she several ages⁷ lays,
And what she takes from Life, to Death she pays.
But if disordered Life doth run in debt,                                   15
Then Death his sergeants doth diseases set,
Which causes Time⁸ to give a double pay,
’Cause Life is⁹ spent so much before rent day.