Page:Works of Edmund Spenser - 1857.djvu/487

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THE TEARES OF THE MUSES.
453
And all that els was wont to worke delight Through the divine infusion of their skill, And all that els seemd faire and fresh in sight, So made by nature for to serve their will, 40Was turned now to dismall heavinesse,Was turned now to dreadful uglinesse.
Ay me! what thing on earth that all thing breeds, Might be the cause of so impatient plight?What furie, or what feend, with felon deeds 45 Hath stirred up so mischievous despight?Can griefe then enter into heavenly harts, And pierce immortall breasts with mortall smarts?
Vouchsafe ye then, whom onely it concernes, To me those secret causes to display; 50For none but you, or who of you it learnes, Can rightfully aread so dolefull lay.Begin, thou eldest sister of the crew,And let the rest in order thee ensew.
Clio.Heare thou great father of the gods on hie, 55 That most art dreaded for thy thunder darts;And thou our sire, that raignst in CastalieAnd Mount Parnasse, the god of goodly arts: Heare, and behold the miserable stateOf us thy daughters, doleful desolate. 60
Behold the fowle reproach and open shame, The which is day by day unto us wroughtBy such as hate the honour of our name,The foes of learning and teach gentle thought; They, not contented us themselves to scorne, 65Doo seeke to make us of the world forlorne.
Ne onely they that dwell in lowly dust,The sonnes of darknes and of ignoraunce;But they, whom thou, great love, by doome uniust Didst to the type of honour earst advaunce; 70 They now, puft up with sdeignfull insolence, Despise the brood of blessed sapience.
The sectaries of my celestiall skill,That wont to be the worlds chiefe ornament, And learned impes that wont to shoote up still, 75And grow to height of kingdomes government, They underkeep, and with their spreading armes Do beat their huds, that perish through their harmes.
It most behoves the honorable raceOf mightie peeres true wisedome to sustaine, 80And with their noble countenaunce to graceThe learned forheads, without gifts or gaine: Or rather learnd themselves behoves to bee;That is the girlond of nobilitie.
But (ah!) all otherwise they doo esteeme 85Of th'heavenly gift of wisdomes influence, And to be learned it a base thing deeme;Base minded they that want intelligence;For God himselfe for wisedome most is praised, And men to God thereby are nighest raised. 90
But they doo onely strive themselves to raise Through pompous pride, and foolish vanitie;In th' eyes of people they put all their praise, And onely boast of armes and auncestrie:But vertuous deeds, which did those armes first give To their grandsyres, they care not to atchive. 96
So I, that doo all noble feates professe To register, and sound in trump of gold; Through their bad dooings, or base slothfulnesse, Finde nothing worthie to be writ, or told: 100 For better farre it were to hide their names,Then telling them to blazon out their blames.
So shall succeeding ages have no lightOf things forepast, nor moniments of time; And all that in this world is worthie hight 105Shall die in darknesse, and lie hid in slime!Therefore I mourne with deep harts sorrowing, Because I nothing noble have to sing.—
With that she raynd such store of streaming teares, That could have made a stonie heart to weep; 110 And all her sisters rent their golden heares,And their faire faces with salt humour steep.So ended shee: and then the next in rewBegan her grievous plaint, as doth ensew.
MELPOMENE.O! who shall powre into my swollen eyes 115 A sea of teares that never may be dryde,A brazen voice that may with shrilling cryes Pierce the dull heavens and fill the ayër wide, And yron sides that sighing may endure,To waile the wretchednes of world impure? 120
Ah! wretched world, the den of wickednesse, Deformd with filth, and fowle iniquitie;Ah! wretched world, the house of heavinesse,Fild with the wreaks of mortall miserie;Ah! wretched world, and all that is therein, 125 The vassals of Gods wrath, and slaves to sin.
Most miserable creature under skyMan without understanding doth appeare;For all this worlds affliction he thereby,And fortunes freakes, is wisely taught to beare:Of wretched life the only ioy shee is, 131 And th' only comfort in calamities.
She armes the brest with constant patienceAgainst the bitter throwes of dolours darts:She solaceth with rules of sapience 135The gentle minds, in midst of worldly smarts: When he is sad, shee seeks to make him merie, And doth refresh his sprights when they be werie.
But he that is of reasons skill bereft,And wants the staffe of wisedome him to stay, 140 Is like a ship in midst of tempest left Withouten helme or pilot her to sway:Full sad and dreadfull is that ships event; So is the man that wants intendiment.
Why then doo foolish men so much despize 145The precious store of this celestiall riches?Why doo they banish us, that patronizeThe name of learning? Most unhappie wretches! The which lie drowned in deep wretchednes, Yet doo not see their owne unhappiness. 150
My part it is and my professed skillThe stage with tragick buskin to adorne,And fill the scene with plaint and outcries shrill Of wretched persons, to misfortune borne:But none more tragick matter I can finde 155Then this, of men depriv'd of sense and minde.
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