Some, heavenly-colourd, in celestial gre,1
Some watery hued, as the haw-waly2 sea ;
And some, depaint in freckles, red and white,
Some bright as gold, with aureate leavis lite: "
The daisy did un-braid her crownel smale,
And every flow'r un-lapped in the dale,

The flower-de-luce forth spread his heavenly hue,
Flow'r damas, and columbo black and blue.
Sire downis small on dandelion sprung,

The young green bloomed strawberry leaves among :
Gimp gilliflowers their own leaves un-shet :5
Fresh primrose, and the purpure violet.
The rose-knobbis tetand" forth their head,
Gan chip, and kythR their vernal lippis red ;

12

Crisp scarlet leaves sheddand, baith' at anes,
Each fragrant smell amid from golden grains.
Heavenly lilies, with lockerand 10 toppis white,
Opened, and shew their crestis redemite. 11
The balmy vapour from their silver croppis 12
Distilland wholesome suggar'd honey-droppis-
So that ilk burgeon, scion, herb, or flow'r
Wox 13 all embalmed of the fresh liquoùr
And bathed not did in dulce humours flete,14
Whereof the beeis wrought their honey sweet.—

Forth of his palace royal issued Phoebùs,
With golden crown and visage glorious,
Crisp hairs, bright as chrysolite or topaz,
For whose hue might nane behold his face,
The fiery sparkis brasting from his een
To purge the air and gilt the tender green.

*

Welcome, the lord of light, and lamp of day!
Welcome, fosterer of tender herbis green!
Welcome, quickener of fluriet flowers sheen!
Welcome, support of every root and vane!15
Welcome, comfòrt of all kind fruit and grain!
Welcome, the birdis bield upon the brier!

Gre-the sky-blue (French gris.

(2) Haw-waly-darked-waved.

Lite-small. (4) Damas flower,-damask rose.
(6) Tetand-peeping. (7) Chip-break forth.
(9) Baith at anes-both at once.

(11) Redemite-crowned. (12) Croppis-heads.
(14) Flete-float.
(15) Vane-sprout.

(5) Un-shet-unshut. (8) Kyth-show. (10) Lockerand-curled. (13) Wox-grew,

Welcome, master and ruler of the year!
Welcome, welfare of husbands1 at the plews!
Welcome, reparer of woods, trees, and bews!?
Welcome, depainter3 of the bloomit meads!
Welcome, the life of everything that spreads!

STEPHEN HAWES.

Born 1450. Died 1520.

HAWES was a native of Suffolk, and was educated at Oxford. He travelled not only in England and Scotland, but in France and Italy, and was excellently read in French and Italian poetry. His knowledge, accomplishments, and great powers of conversation, recommended him to Henry VII. before whom Hawes frequently recited the old English poets, especially Lydgate. He was appointed Groom of the Chamber to the king.

The principal work written by Hawes is entitled "Pastime of Plea‐ sure." It was printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1517, with woodcuts. It is entitled "The history of Grand Amoure and La bel Pucell, called the Pastime of Pleasure, conteynyng the knowledge of the seven sciences, and the course of man's lyfe in this worlde. Invented by Stephen Hawes, Grome of Kyng Henry the Seventh, his chamber." This poem is of course an allegory; and has all the quaintness and romantic action popular in the 15th and 16th centuries. Grand Amour goes through the town of Doctrine, where he meets the Sciences, becomes enamoured of La bel Pucell, whom he marries, and lives happily with her. Hawes was the devoted admirer of Lydgate, and in his compositions copied him. It has been said by some that he "improved upon him," but such an assertion can hardly be sustained when the works of the two poets are compared. Hawes may be regarded as the latest English poet of mark, before the influences of the Reformation began to show themselves in literature, poetry, and the conduct of public men, on both sides of the question.

PASTIME OF PLEASURE.

CANTO XXI.

So forth I went upon a craggy roche,

Unto the toure most wonderfully wrought
Of geometry, and as I did approche

(1) Husbands-husbandmen at the ploughs.

(3) Depainter-"de" used intensively,

(2) Bews-boughs.

The altitude all in my mynd I sought

Sixe hundred fote as by my nomber thought,
Quadrant it was, and did heue and sette
At euery storme whan the wind was great.

Thus at the last I came into an hall

Hanged with arres riche and precious,
And euery window glased with cristall,
Lyke a place of plesure much solacious
Wyth knottes1 sixe-angled, gay and glorious,
The rofe did hange right high and pleasuntly
By geometry made right well and craftely.

In this marveylous hall replette with richesse
At the hye end she sat full wortely,2
I came anone unto her great noblesse
And kneled adowne before her mekely;
Madame, I sayd, ye werke full ryally,3
I beseche you with all my diligence
To instructe me in your wonderfull science

My science, she sayd, it is moost profitable
Unto astronomy, for I do it mesure.
In euery thing as it is probable

For I myselfe can ryght well discure1
Of euery sterre which is sene in vre,
The meruaylous gretnes by my mesuring
For God made all at the begynnyng.

By good mesuring both the heyght and depnes
Of euery thing as I vnderstand,

The length and brede with al the greatnes

Of the firmament so compassing the land,
And who my cunning list to take in hand,
In his emyspery of hye or low degre
Nothing there is but it may measure be.

6

Though that it be from vs hye and farre
If ony thing fall we may it truely se,
As the sonne or moone or ony other sterre,

We may therof know well the quantite

Who of this science dooth know the certaynte,

All mysteries might measure perfytely

For geometry doth shew it openly.

(1) Knottes-garden-beds. (2) Wortely-worthily. (4) Discure-discover.

(3) Ryally-royally.

(5) List-desire. (6) Emyspery-hemisphere.

Where that is mesure,1 there is no lacking;
Where that is mesure, hole is the body;
Where that is mesure, good is the lining;
Where that is mesure, wisdome is truely;
Where that is mesure, werke is directly;
Where that is mesure, natures werking;
Nature increaseth by right good knowledging,

Where lacketh mesure, there is no plente;
Where lacketh mesure, seke" is the courage;
Where lacketh mesure, ther is iniquite;

Where lacketh mesure, there is great outrage;
Where lacketh mesure, is none aduauntage;
Where lacketh mesure, there is great glotony;
Where lacketh mesure, is moost unhappy.

For there is no hye nor great estate

Without mesure can kepe his dignite,
It doth preserue him both early and late,
Keping him from the pytte of pouerte.
Mesure is moderate to all bounte,

Gretely nedeful for to take the charge,
Man for to rule that he go not at large.

Who loueth mesure can not do amys,

So perfitely is the high operacion;
Among all thynges so wonderfull it is
That it is full of all delectation,
And to vertue hath inclynacion,

Mesure also doth well exemplefy
The hasty dome to swage and modefy.

Without mesure, wo worth the jugement;
Without mesure, wo worth the temperaunce;
Without mesure, wo worth the punishment;

Without mesure, wo worth the purueyance;
Without mesure, wo worth the sustenaunce;
Without mesure, wo worth the sadnes;
And without mesure, wo worth the gladnes.

Mesure, mesuring, mesurably taketh;

Mesure, mesuring, mesurably dooth all;
Mesure, mesuring, mesurably maketh ;

(I Mesure has here the same signification as the modern term "moderation." (2) Seke-sick.

Mesure, mesuring, mesurably guyde shall;
Mesure, mesuring, mesurably doth call;
Mesure, mesuring, to right hye pre-emynence,
For always mesure is grounde of exellence.

Mesure mesureth mesure in effecte ;
Mesure mesureth euery quantyte;
Mesure mesureth all waye the aspecte ;
Mesure, mesureth, all in certayne;
Mesure, mesureth, in the stabilitie;
Mesure, mesuryth, in euery doutfull case;
And mesure is the lodesterre1 of all grace.

Affycte2 of mesure is long continuance ;
Quantite without mesure is nought;
Aspect of mesure denoydeth3 repentaunce;
Certayne wold weye all thinges thought;
Stabilitie vpon a perfite grounde is wrought;
Cace1 doubtfull may yet a whyle abyde;

Grace may in space a remedy prouyde.

Countenaunce causeth the promocyon;

Naught anayleth seruice without attendance;
Repentaunces is after all abusion;

Thought afore wolde haue had perseueraunce;
Wrought how should be by dede the mischaunce;

Abyde nothing tyll thou doe the dede;

Prouyde" in mynde how thou mayst haue mede ;

Promocion groweth after good gouernaunce;
Attendaunce doth attayne good fauour;

Abusyon is causer of all variaunce;

Perceyueraunce causeth great honour;
Mischaunce alway is roote of dolour;

Dede done, cannot be called agayne;

Mede well rewarded both with joye and paync.

(1) Lodesterre-loadstar.

(2) Affycte-the effect.

(3) Denoydeth-denudeth, renders unnecessary. (4) Cace-a doubtful case.

(5) Abusion-abuse.

(6) Prouyde-provide.