Classic Poem

Beautie with brags of late wild vertue yeald her thrall,
But soone the Gods, to stay their strife, a parlement did call,
And fame with thundring tromp was wild their subjects cite,
By credite of their thrals to shew who was of greatest might.
Beautie against this day her prowdest shewes prepard,
And sure a troupe of gallant gyrles her seemely selfe did gard:
Their spangels wrought a gase, eche dame in feathers flauntes,
Their straung attyres, their cuts and cost, foreshewd their scorneful vaunts.
They looked all askaunce, when beautie claymde her right,
That loe! the Gods amased were to see so proude a sight.
Anon good vertue comes, with traine of bashfull dames,
Whose modest lookes wrought more regard then beauties blasing flames.
A silence now was made, that they their sutes might move,
Both ladies sue for sovereigne rule, and thus their titles prove:
Proud beautie vaunts on powre, poore vertue on desart,
And, by your leave, for all her bragges, the worst had beauties part.
Her showes were blemisht much with surfling and such like,
Which knowne, beautie (through feare of foyle) into a mase did strike.
Who, gasing rounde about, faire Brydges did espie,
Whose seemely feature, forme, and shape, did much delight her eye;
And, scorning other proose, she Bridges calld in place;
Who (to sett foorth her sightly selfe) apeard with bashfull grace.
Quoth beautie, See my toyle! you Gods, now judge aright;
Halfe part with you, quoth Vertue streight; my gifts adorne this wight;
For bountie guides her thought, which beautie farre excells,
And pittie rules her noble heart, where pride in beautie dwells:
To love and lawlesse lust, where beauties lures doe traine,
She winns a calme, yet friendship firme, with showe of chaste disdaine.
A meane contents her minde, where beautie is extreame,
What botes thee then, good Beautie, thus to strive against the streame?
She onely shall suffice, if thereto thou agree,
To showe and prove, by dome of Jove, the best of thee or mee.
I will (quoth Beautie) stand to that that Jove awards.
Jove, waying wel their worthie worke, thus both their toile rewards.
Hee ruled, Vertue should be al wayes best in name,
Yet Beautie during Bridges life should sway in equal fame.
Loe! thus betweene these dames the bloudie frayes did seace,
But Bridges bore the praise away for making of this peace.