The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 5

I saw an Image, all of massie gold,

Placed on high upon an altare faire,

That all which did the same from farre beholde

Might worship it, and fall on lowest staire.

Not that great idoll might with this compaire, 495

To which th'Assyrian tyrant would have made

The holie brethren falslie to have praid.

But th'altare on the which this image staid

Was (O great pitie!) built of brickle* clay,

That shortly the foundation decaid, 500

With showres of heaven and tempests worne away;

Then downe it fell, and low in ashes lay,

Scorned of everie one which by it went;

That I, it seing, dearelie did lament.

[* Brickle, brittle.]

Next unto this a statelie Towre appeared, 505

Built all of richest stone that might bee found,

And nigh unto the heavens in height upreared,

But placed on a plot of sandie ground:

Not that great towre which is so much renownd

For tongues confusion in Holie Writ, 510

King Ninus worke, might be compar'd to it.

But, O vaine labours of terrestriall wit,

That buildes so stronglie on so frayle a soyle,

As with each storme does fall away and flit,

And gives the fruit of all your travailes toyle 515

To be the pray of Tyme, and Fortunes spoyle,

I saw this towre fall sodainlie to dust,

That nigh with griefe thereof my heart was brust.

Then did I see a pleasant Paradize,

Full of sweete flowres and daintiest delights, 520

Such as on earth man could not more devize,

With pleasures choyce to feed his cheereful sprights:

Not that which Merlin by his magicke slights

Made for the gentle Squire, to entertaine

His fayre Belphoebe, could this gardine staine. 525

But O short pleasure bought with lasting paine!

Why will hereafter anie flesh delight

In earthlie blis, and ioy in pleasures vaine?

Since that I sawe this gardine wasted quite,

That where it was scarce seemed anie sight; 530

That I, which once that beautie did beholde,

Could not from teares my melting eyes with-holde.