The World
The World's Assault
Love's house suffers the vain assaults of Fortune, Pleasure, and Sin until Sin and Death raze it to the ground.
Love built a grand house. Fortune came there, and as she spun her fantasies she was heard to say that her fine cobwebs held up the frame—when in fact they were held up by the frame itself. But Wisdom quickly swept them all away. Then Pleasure came, and not liking the design, began to put up balconies and terraces until she'd weakened the whole place by changing it. But revered laws and many public decrees finally set everything right again with threats. Then Sin entered, and with that sycamore—whose leaves first sheltered man from drought and dew—working and winding slyly without end, split and tore the inner walls and beams. But Grace propped these up and cut that tree as it grew.1 Then Sin and Death formed a firm alliance to tear the building down to its foundation—and they succeeded; no one could stop them.2
The Braver Palace
Love and Grace take Glory by the hand and build a far grander palace upon the ruins.
But Love and Grace took Glory by the hand and built a grander palace than before.3
Read the original English
LOve built a stately house; where Fortune came: And spinning phansies, she was heard to say, That her fine cobwebs did support the frame, Whereas they were supported by the same: But Wisdome quickly swept them all away.
Then Pleasure came, who liking not the fashion, Began to make Balcones, Terraces, Till she had weakned all by alteration: But rev'rend laws, and many a proclamation Reformed all at length with menaces.
Then enter'd Sinne, and with that Sycomore, Whose leaves first sheltred man from drought & dew, Working and winding slily evermore, The inward walls and Sommers cleft and tore: But Grace shor'd these, and cut that as it grew.
Then Sinne combin'd with Death in a firm band To rase the building to the very floore: Which they effected, none could them withstand. But Love and Grace took Glorie by the hand, And built a braver Palace then before.
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern architectural term for main horizontal supporting beams (summer-beams); rendered here as "beams" for plain modern sense.
- 2 ↩Early modern 'rase' rendered as modern 'raze' (demolish); 'band' as alliance/bond.
- 3 ↩Early modern 'then' = modern 'than'. Period 'braver' means finer/more splendid; rendered 'grander' for contemporary clarity while keeping the comparative force.
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