Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenserwas an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of nascent Modern English verse, and is often considered one of the greatest poets in the English language...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
evil may deeds
For evil deeds may better than bad words be borne.
wise men deceit
What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, As to descry the crafty cunning train, By which deceit doth mask in visor fair, And cast her colours dyed deep in grain, To seem like truth, whose shape she well can feign, And fitting gestures to her purpose frame, The guiltless man with guile to entertain?
book home patron
The Patron of true Holinesse, Foule Errour doth defeate: Hypocrisie him to entrappe, Doth to his home entreate.
charity ends ifs
Good is no good, but if it be spend, God giveth good for none other end.
revenge hate heart
In one consort there sat cruel revenge and rancorous despite, disloyal treason and heart-burning hate.
wrath rage repentance
Hasty wrath and heedless hazardy do breed repentance late and lasting infamy.
yield brave spurs
Who would ever care to do brave deed, Or strive in virtue others to excel, If none should yield him his deserved meed Due praise, that is the spur of doing well? For if good were not praised more than ill, None would choose goodness of his own free will.
free-will praise goodness
For if good were not praised more than ill, None would chuse goodness of his own free will.
pleasure paine
And painefull pleasure turnes to pleasing paine.
song sovereign nightingales
The nightingale is sovereign of song.
gay world vapor
All that in this world is great or gay, Doth, as a vapor, vanish and decay.
death common good-and-bad
Death is an equall doome To good and bad, the common In of rest.
art men people
There learned arts do flourish in great honour And poets's wits are had in peerless price; Religion hath lay power, to rest upon her, Advancing virtue, and suppressing vice. For end all good, all grace there freely grows, Had people grace it gratefully to use: For God His gifts there plenteously bestows, But graceless men them greatly do abuse.
sleep house next
For next to Death is Sleepe to be compared; Therefore his house is unto his annext: Here Sleepe, ther Richesse, and hel-gate them both betwext.