PALLAS

Then Venus, I conclude, it may be seen, That in her chaste and pleasant walks fair Phoebe is a Queen. To stand on terms of beauty as you take it, Beeleue me, Ladies, is but to mystake it: The beauty that this subtle prize must win, No outward beauty hight, but dwells within. And f yfte as yovv please, and yovv shall find, This beauty, is the beauty of the mind. This fairness, Virtue hight, in general, That many branches hath in special: This beauty wisdom hight, whereof am I, By heaven appointed, goddess worthily. And look how much the mind, the better , Does overpass the body in desert: So much the mistress of those guyfts divine, Excels thy beauty, and that state of thine. Then if this prize be thus bequeathed to beauty, The only she that wins this prize, am I. Me l st not tempt thee with decaying wealth, Which is e ba et by want of lusty health: B to if thou have a mind to fly above, Y crowned with fame near to the e to of Jove: If thou aspire to wy domes worthiness. Whereof thovv mayest see the brightness If thou desire honour of chyuallrye, To be renowned for happy victory, To fight it out, and in the champain field, To shroud thee pallas warlike sheilde, To prance on barbed steeds, this honour lo, My self for guerdon shall on thee bestow. And for encouragement, that thou mayest see, What famous knights dame Pallas warriors be, Behold in Pallas honour here they come, Marching along with found of thundering drom. Venus, there is no more ado then so, It resteth where the gods do it bestow. No matter, Venus, how so ere you scorn, My father Jove at that time uva e the horn. No more of this, fair goddesses, unrip not so your shames, To stand all naked to the world, that be such heavenly dams. To much of this: we wander far, the skies begin to skowle, Retire we to Diana's bower, the weather will be oule. The fairest here as fair is meant, am I, you do me wrong: And if the f y est have it must, to me it does belong Our reasons ilbe infinite, I trow, Unless unto some other point we grow. For fi st heres none me thinks disposed to y eld, And none but will with words maintain the field. I am agreed how ever it befall. And yet by common doom, so may it be, I may be said the fairest of the three. Worser eadem not to speak for we have chosen thee, Sith in this case, we can no judges be. well Juno, whither we be leys or loath, Venus hath God the apple from us both. That may not be, the laws of heaven deny, A man to plead or answer by attorney. Whither the man be guilty yea or no, That does not hinder our appeal, I troe? I grant you may agree, but be content To doubt upon regard of your agreement. Phoebe, chief Mistress of this sylvan chase, Whom gods have chosen to conclude the case, That yet in balance undecided lies. Touching bestowing of this golden prize. I give my promise and m ne oath withal, By S ix, by heavens power imperial, By all that longes to Pallas deity, Her sh lde, her lance, ensigns of chiuallrie, Her sacred wreathe of Olive, and of Bay, Her crested helm, and else what Pallas may, That where so ere this ball of purest gold, That chased Diana here in hand does hold, Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow, Without mislike oh quarrel any more, Pallas shall rest content and satisfied, And say the best desert does there ab de. If this be she whom some Zabeta call, To whom thy wisdom well bequeathes the ball I can remember at her day of birth, How Flora with her flowers strewed the Earth, How e erie power with heavenly majesty, In person honoured that solemnity. To this fair Queen so beautiful and wise, Pallas bequeathes her title in the prize. So Pallas yields the praise hereof to thee For wisdom, princely state, and peerless beauty.