Thence passing forth, they shortly do arriue, xlii Whereas the Bowre of _Blisse_ was situate; A place pickt out by choice of best aliue, That natures worke by art can imitate: In which what euer in this worldly state Is sweet, and pleasing vnto liuing sense, Or that may dayntiest[847] fantasie aggrate, Was poured forth with plentifull dispence, And made there to abound with lauish affluence. Goodly it was enclosed round about, xliii Aswell their entred guestes to keepe within, As those vnruly beasts to hold without; Yet was the fence thereof but weake and thin; Nought feard their[848] force, that fortilage to win, But wisedomes powre, and temperaunces might, By which the mightiest[849] things efforced bin: And eke the gate was wrought of substaunce light, Rather for pleasure, then for battery or fight. Yt framed was of precious yuory, xliv That seemd a worke of admirable wit; And therein all the famous history Of _Iason_ and _Medæa_ was ywrit; Her mighty charmes, her furious louing fit, His goodly conquest of the golden fleece, His falsed faith, and loue too lightly flit, The wondred _Argo_, which in venturous peece First through the _Euxine_ seas bore all the flowr of _Greece_. Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry xlv Vnder the ship, as thorough them she went, That seemd the waues were into yuory, Or yuory into the waues were sent; And other where the snowy substaunce sprent With vermell, like the boyes bloud therein shed, A piteous spectacle did represent, And otherwhiles with gold besprinkeled; Yt seemd th’enchaunted flame, which did _Creüsa_ wed. All this, and more might in that goodly gate xlvi Be red; that euer open stood to all, Which thither came: but in the Porch there sate A comely personage of stature tall, And semblaunce pleasing, more then naturall, That trauellers to him seemd to entize; His looser garment to the ground did fall, And flew about his heeles in wanton wize, Not fit for speedy pace, or manly exercize. They in that place him _Genius_ did call: xlvii Not that celestiall powre, to whom the care Of life, and generation of all That liues, pertaines in charge particulare, Who wondrous things concerning our welfare, And straunge phantomes doth let vs oft forsee, And oft of secret ill bids vs beware: That is our Selfe, whom though we do not see, Yet each doth in him selfe it well perceiue to bee.