Loose to the wind their airy garments flew, Thin glittering textures of the filmy dew, Dipped in the richest tincture of the skies, Where light disports in ever-mingling dyes, While every beam new transient colours flings, Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings.

" They labour most part not to pass their time in honest disport, but for filthy lucre, and covetousness of money.

They persecute beasts so long, till in the end they themselves degenerate into beasts, as Agrippa taxeth them, Actaeon like, for as he was eaten to death by his own dogs, so do they devour themselves and their patrimonies, in such idle and unnecessary disports, neglecting in the mean time their more necessary business, and to follow their vocations.

And sikerly she was of grete disport And ful plesánt and amiable of port, And peinëd hire to contrefeten chere Of court,[30] and ben estatelich of manére And to ben holden digne of reverence.

Alas! where are all these, or any similar, "merry disports" in our degenerate days?

Thou speed'st the summons of thy warning voice: Winged at thy word, the distant troops rejoice, From every quarter scour the fields of air, And to the general rendezvous repair; Each from the mingled rout disporting turns, And with the love of kindred plumage burns.

An open house, haunted with great resort; Long service mixed with musical disport.