735
The canker worme of everie gentle brest;
The which to banish with faire exercise
Of knightly feates he daylie doth devise:
Now menaging the mouthes of stubborne steedes,
Now practising the proofe of warlike deedes, 740
Now his bright armes assaying, now his speare,
Now the nigh aymed ring away to beare:
At other times he casts to sew the chace
[_Casts_, plans, makes arrangements.]
Of Swift wilde beasts, or runne on foote a race,
T'enlarge his breath, (large breath in armes most needfull,) 745
Or els by wrestling to wex strong and heedfull,
Or his stiffe armes to stretch with eughen bowe,
[_Eughen_, made of yew.]
And manly legs, still passing too and fro,
Without a gowned beast him fast beside;
A vaine ensample of the Persian pride, 750
Who after he had wonne th'Assyrian foe,
Did ever after scorne on foote to goe.
Thus when this courtly gentleman with toyle
Himselfe hath wearied, he doth recoyle
Unto his rest, and there with sweete delight 755
Of musicks skill revives his toyled spright;
Or els with loves and ladies gentle sports,
The ioy of youth, himselfe he recomforts:
Or lastly, when the bodie list to pause,
His minde unto the Muses he withdrawes, 760
Sweete Ladie Muses, ladies of delight,
Delights of life, and ornaments of light:
With whom he close confers with wise discourse,
Of Natures workes, of heavens continuall course,
Of forreine lands, of people different, 765
Of kingdomes change, of divers gouvernment,
Of dreadfull battailes of renowmed knights;
With which he kindleth his ambitious sprights
To like desire and praise of noble fame,
The onely upshot whereto he doth ayme. 770
For all his minde on honour fixed is,
To which he levels all his purposis,
And in his Princes service spends his dayes,
Not so much for to game, or for to raise
Himselfe to high degree, as for his grace, 775
And in his liking to winne worthie place,
Through due deserts and comely carriage,
In whatso please employ his personage,
That may be matter meete to game him praise.
For he is fit to use in all assayes, 780
Whether for armes and warlike amenaunce,
[_Amenaunce_, conduct.]
Or else for wise and civill governaunce;
For he is practiz'd well in policie,
And there