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SO every spirit, as it is most pure, | |
| And hath in it the more of heavenly light, | |
| So it the fairer bodie doth procure | |
| To habit in, and it more fairly dight | |
| With cheerfull grace and amiable sight; | 5 |
| For of the soule the bodie forme doth take; | |
| For soule is forme, and doth the bodie make. | |
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| Therefore whenever that thou dost behold | |
| A comely corpse, with beauty fair endued, | |
| Know this for certaine, that the same doth hold | 10 |
| A beauteous soule, with fair conditions thewed, | |
| Fit to receive the seed of virtue strewed; | |
| For all that faire is, is by nature good; | |
| That is a signe to know the gentle blood. | |
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| Yet oft it falls that many a gentle minde | 15 |
| Dwells in deformèd tabernacle drowned, | |
| Either by chance, against the course of kinde, | |
| Or through unaptnesse in the substance found, | |
| Which it assumèd of some stubborne ground, | |
| That will not yield unto her forme’s direction, | 20 |
| But is performed with some foul imperfection. | |
| |
| And oft it falls (aye me, the more to rue!) | |
| That goodly beautie, albeit heavenly borne, | |
| Is foul abused, and that celestial hue, | |
| Which doth the world with her delight adorne, | 25 |
| Made but the bait of sin, and sinners’ scorne, | |
| Whilst every one doth seek and sue to have it, | |
| But every one doth seek but to deprave it. | |
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| Yet nathèmore is that faire beautie’s blame, | |
| But theirs that do abuse it unto ill: | 30 |
| Nothing so goode, but that through guilty shame | |
| May be corrupt, and wrested unto will: | |
| Natheless the soule is faire and beauteous stille, | |
| However fleshe’s fault it filthy make; | |
| For things immortal no corruption take. | 35 |
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