| |
| LAYD in my quiet bed to rest, | |
| When sleepe my senses all had drownd, | |
| Such dreames arose within my breast, | |
| As did with feare my minde confound. | |
| |
| Meethought I wandred in a woode, | 5 |
| Which was as darke as pitte of hell; | |
| In midst of which such waters stoode, | |
| That where to passe I could not tell. | |
| |
| The lion, tyger, wolfe, and beare, | |
| There thundered forth such hideous cries, | 10 |
| As made huge eccoes in the aire, | |
| And seemed almost to pearce the skies. | |
| |
| Long vext with care I there aboad, | |
| And to get forth I wanted power: | |
| At euery footstepe that I troad, | 15 |
| I feard some beast would mee deuoure. | |
| |
| Abyding thus, perplext with paine, | |
| This case within myselfe I scand, | |
| That humaine helpe was all in vaine, | |
| Unlesse the Lord with vs doe stand. | 20 |
| |
| Then falling flatte vpon my face, | |
| In humble sorte to God I prayde, | |
| That in this darke and dreadfull place | |
| He would vouchsafe to bee mine ayde. | |
| |
| Arising, then a wight with winges, | 25 |
| Of auncient yeeres, meethinkes I see; | |
| A burning torch in hand hee bringes, | |
| And thus beganne to speake to me: | |
| |
| “That God whose ayd thou didst implore, | |
| Hath sent mee hither for thy sake; | 30 |
| Pluck vp thy sprites, lament no more, | |
| With mee thou must thy iourney take.” | |
| |
| Against a huge and loftie hill | |
| With swiftest pace meethinks wee go, | |
| When such a sound mine eare did fill, | 35 |
| As moued my heart to bleede for woe. | |
| |
| Meethought I heard a woefull wight | |
| In dolefull sorte powre forth great plaintes, | |
| Whose cries did so my minde affright, | |
| That euen with feare each member faintes. | 40 |
| |
| “Fie!” quoth my guyd, “what meanes this change? | |
| Passe on apace with courage bolde: | |
| Hereby doth stand a prison strange, | |
| Where wonderous thinges thou maiest beholde.” | |
| |
| Then came we to a forte of brasse, | 45 |
| Where, peering through greate iron gates, | |
| We saw a woman sit, alas! | |
| Which ruthfully bewaylde her fates. | |
| |
| Her face was farre more white then snow, | |
| And on her head a crowne shee ware, | 50 |
| Beset with stones, that glistered so | |
| As hundred torches had bene there. | |
| |
| Her song was—“Woe! and weale away! | |
| What torments here doe I sustayne!” | |
| —A new mishap did her dismay, | 55 |
| Which more and more increast her payne. | |
| |
| An oggly creature, all in blacke, | |
| Ran to her seate, and flung her downe: | |
| Who rent her garments from her backe, | |
| And spoyld her of her precious crowne. | 60 |
| |
| This crowne he plaste vpon his hed, | |
| And leauing her in dolefull case, | |
| With swiftest pace away he fled, | |
| And darknesse came in all the place. * * * * * * | |
| Then quoth my guyd: “Note well my talke, | 65 |
| And thou shalt heare this dreame declarde: | |
| The wood, in which thou first didst walke, | |
| Unto the worlde may be comparde. | |
| |
| The roaring beasts plainly expresse | |
| The sundry snares in which we fall: | 70 |
| This gaole is named Deepe Distresse, | |
| In which dame Virtue lies as thrall. | |
| |
| She is the wight, which heere within | |
| So dolefully doth houle and crie: | |
| Her foe is called Deadly Sinne, | 75 |
| That proffered here this villainie. | |
| |
| My name is Time, whom God hath sent | |
| To warne thee of thy soule’s decay: | |
| In time therefore thy sinnes lament, | |
| Least Time from thee be tane away.” | 80 |
| |
| As soone as he these wordes had sayd, | |
| With swiftest pace away he flies; | |
| And I thereat was so afrayde, | |
| That drowsie sleepe forsooke mine eyes. | |
| |
