_Sine iuſtitia, confuſio._ _Ad eoſdem Iudices_. [Illustration: _Whitney, 1586._] “When Fire, and Aire, and Earthe, and Water, all weare one: Before that worke deuine was wroughte, which nowe wee looke vppon. There was no forme of thinges, but a confused masse: A lumpe, which CHAOS men did call: wherein no order was. The Coulde, and Heate, did striue: the Heauie thinges, and Lighte. The Harde, and Softe, the Wette, and Drye, for none had shape arighte. But when they weare dispos’d, eache one into his roome: The Fire, had Heate: the Aire, had Lighte: the Earthe, with fruites did bloome. The Sea, had his increase: which thinges, to passe thus broughte: Behoulde, of this vnperfecte masse, the goodly worlde was wroughte.” Whitney then celebrates “The goulden worlde that Poëttes praised moste;” next, “the siluer age;” and afterwards, “the age of brasse.” “The Iron age was laste, a fearefull cursed tyme: Then, armies came of mischiefes in: and fil’d the worlde with cryme. Then rigor, and reuenge, did springe in euell hower: And men of mighte, did manadge all, and poore opprest with power. And hee, that mightie was, his worde, did stand for lawe: And what the poore did ploughe, and sowe: the ritch away did drawe. None mighte their wiues inioye, their daughters, or their goodes, No, not their liues: such tyraunts broode, did seeke to spill their bloodes. Then vertues weare defac’d, and dim’d with vices vile, Then wronge, did maske in cloke of righte: then bad, did good exile. Then falshood, shadowed truthe: and hate, laugh’d loue to skorne: Then pitie, and compassion died: and bloodshed fowle was borne. So that no vertues then, their proper shapes did beare: Nor coulde from vices bee decern’d, so straunge they mixed weare. That nowe, into the worlde, an other CHAOS came: But GOD, that of the former heape: the heauen and earthe did frame. And all thinges plac’d therein, his glorye to declare: Sente IVSTICE downe vnto the earthe: such loue to man hee bare. Who, so suruay’d the world, with such an heauenly vewe: That quickley vertues shee aduanc’d: and vices did subdue. And, of that worlde did make, a paradice, of blisse: By which wee doo inferre: That where this sacred Goddes is. That land doth florishe still, and gladnes, their doth growe: Bicause that all, to God, and Prince, by her their dewties knowe. And where her presence wantes, there ruine raignes, and wracke: And kingdomes can not longe indure, that doe this ladie lacke. Then happie England most, where IVSTICE is embrac’d: And eeke so many famous men, within her chaire are plac’d.”