Nor can her selfe discourse or iudge of ought,
But what the Sense collects and home doth bring;
And yet the power of her discoursing thought,
From these collections, is a diuers thing.
For though our eyes can nought but colours see,
Yet colours giue them not their powre of sight;
So, though these fruits of Sense her obiects bee,
Yet she discernes them by her proper light.
The workman on his stuffe his skill doth show,
And yet the stuffe giues not the man his skill;
Kings their affaires do by their seruants know,
But order them by their owne royall will.
So, though this cunning mistresse and this queene,
Doth, as her instrument, the Senses vse,
To know all things that are felt, heard, or seene,
Yet she her selfe doth onely iudge and chuse:
Euen as our great wise Empresse[94] that now raignes
By soueraigne title ouer sundry Lands;
Borrowes in meane affaires her subiects paines,
Sees by their eyes, and writeth by their hands;
But things of waight and consequence indeed,
Her selfe doth in her chamber them debate;
Where all her Counsellers she doth exceed
As farre in iudgement, as she doth in State.
Or as the man whom she doth now aduance,[95]
Vpon her gracious mercy-seat to sit;
Doth common things, of course and circumstance,
To the reports of common men commit:
But when the cause it selfe must be decreed,
Himselfe in person, in his proper Court,
To graue and solemne hearing doth proceed,
Of euery proofe and euery by-report.
Then, like God's angell he pronounceth right,
And milke and hony from his tongue doth flow;
Happie are they that still are in his sight,
To reape the wisedome which his lips doe sow.
Right so the Soule, which is a lady free,
And doth the iustice of her State maintaine;
Because the senses ready seruants be,
Attending nigh about her Court, the braine: