XVI. Geffrey Whitney. Embleme VI. Edward Farr, ed. 1845. Select Poetry, Chiefly Devotional, of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth

Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

Embleme VI

XVI. Geffrey Whitney


Motto: Constanter. THE RAGING sea, that roares with fearefull sounde,
And threatneth all the world to ouerflowe,
The shore sometimes his billows doth rebounde,
Though oft it winnes, and giues the earthe a blowe:
Sometimes where shippes did saile, it makes a lande;	5
Sometimes again they saile where townes did stande.

So if the Lorde did not his rage restraine,
And set his boundes so that it cannot passe,
The worlde should faile, and man could not remaine,
But all that is shoulde soone be turn’d to was.	10
By raging Sea is ment our ghostlie foe;
By Earthe, man’s soule he seekes to ouerthrowe.

And as the surge doth worke both daie and nighte,
And shakes the shore, and ragged rockes doth rente;
So Sathan stirres with all his maine and mighte	15
Continuall siege our soules to circumuente:
Then watche and praie for feare we sleepe in sinne;
For cease our crime, and hee can nothing winne.