Gideon sat erect in his chair or stood before the fireplace, now banked with ferns; black-clad, tall and thin and straight in the comely pleasance of his sixty years, his face smoothly shaven, his cheekbones jutting above depressed cheeks that fell to his narrow, pointed chin, his blue eyes crackling far under the brow, high and narrow and shaded with ruffling gray hair, still plenteous.

"In the noon-day's golden pleasance, Little Bice, baby fair, With a fresh and flowery presence, Dances round her nurse's chair, In the old grey loggia dances, haloed by her shining hair.

"Let bagpipe never more be heard to shrill, That may allure the senses to delight, Ne ever shepheard sound his oaten quill 325 Unto the many*, that provoke them might To idle pleasance; but let ghastlinesse

For though he colours could devize at will, And eke his learned hand at pleasure guide, Least, trembling, it his workmanship should spill*, Yet many wondrous things there are beside: The sweet eye-glaunces, that like arrowes glide, The charming smiles, that rob sence from the hart, The lovely pleasance, and the lofty pride, Cannot expressed be by any art.

For with mild pleasance, which doth pride displace, She to her love doth lookers eyes allure; And with stern countenance back again doth chace Their looser lookes that stir up lustes impure.

But unto such the Ape lent not his minde; Such were for him no fit companions, 795 Such would descrie his lewd conditions: But the yong lustie gallants he did chose To follow, meete to whom he might disclose His witlesse pleasance and ill pleasing vaine.