Page:The castle of Indolence - an allegorical poem - Written in imitation of Spenser (IA castleofindolenc00thomiala).pdf/68

XXXVIII.

"As God shall judge me, Knight, we must forgive

(The half-enraptur'd Philomelus cry'd)
"The frail good Man deluded here to live,
"And in these Groves his musing Fancy hide.
"Ah, Nought is pure! It cannot be deny'd,
"That Virtue still some Tincture has of Vice,
"And Vice of Virtue. What should then betide,
"But that our Charity be not too nice?
"Come, let us Those we can to real Bliss entice.

XXXIX.

"Ay, sicker, (quoth the Knight) all Flesh is frail,

"To pleasant Sin and joyous Dalliance bent;
"But let not brutish Vice of This avail,
"And think to scape deserved Punishment.
Justice were cruel weakly to relent;
"From Mercy's Self she got her sacred Glaive:
"Grace be to Those who can, and will, repent;
"But Penance long, and dreary, to the Slave,
"Who must in Floods of Fire his gross foul Spirit lave.

XL.