Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A44621
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The Brittish princes an heroick poem / written by the Honourable Edward Howard, Esq.
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Howard, Edward, fl. 1669.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing H2965; ESTC R13966
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62,418
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232
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Frame in pollish'd stone is wrought As Parian work might hence have Copies sought Whose Bottom shin'd as clear as Mirrors doe Circled with Pillars bright reflections show And through each space stood noblest creatures carv'd Some think the same that Noahs Ark preserv'd Nor were its Mediums less for beauty prais'd VVhile in such order each Ascent is rais'd As best skill'd Architects must hence admire Those hands that could so happily conspire The Royal Cov'ring which this Frame did bear Is story'd by the artful Painters care Where antient Heroes in vast Figures lie VVith Atlas said t' uphold the falling Sky Hence they behold Great Londons vast Contents The Seat of Natures choice Emoluments VVhich wise Antiquity had planted here That times succeeding might renown their care And hence they view the silver Flood of Thames Brighter than Zanthus or fam'd Symois streams In which the Gods their limbs were said to save And visit Thetis in a chrystal wave To Neptunes bosome thus it gently glides Returning thence inricht with pregnant Tides By secret sympathy or Cinthia's power That streams can swell without the help of shower While stately Vessels swift as winds here steer Some fraught with Traffique others built for Warr As if that Age heroickly foresaw This supreme Isle should to the main give law And hence they wond'rous Aqueducts survey That this Great City useful streams convey While works in water Engins raise so high As if they 'd Meteors place above the Sky And now as Rome would add a glory too Or Gauls repent their crimes in being a Foe Their Legats from Martianus convoy'd come Who of these Princes crave a Peace from Rome This Embassy a Gaul of subtile brain Does manage that deceit could wilely feign Who knew the Brittish hearts too great to be Suspecters ev'n in Foes of treachery And to this glorious presence has access Cloath'd in the soft Attyres of Gallick dress Whose Vests as various forms and colours show As if they pattern'd from Thaumantius Bow On this a Perriwig more long he wears Than the dishevel'd locks of Virgins hairs And thus with suppliant knees and fawning face The mode of Gaul his Errand hopes to grace Then first relates how Rome and Gaul conspire To make a lasting Peace their joynt desire Since they behold what wonders Heaven had wrought For Brittish Powers while theirs opposing fought And next does magnifie the Princes Arms Whose valour gives their Foes such pow'rful charms That their great Chiefs submit to sue for Peace And call the Brittains friend if Arms they 'l cease Though Rome with succours soon can them supply Or Great Alvatrix from his Gauls more nigh Whose Arms did but neglect of Love pursue Yet to the Queen that guilt repenteth too By me pronouncing how his soul relents His late Hostilities and dire Intents In which her City more her self did share His Love and Arms made guilty of her fear For which if I with offer'd Peace return He 'll soon to Gaul retire this crime to mourn Nor does Great Ennius design to be With you fam'd Princes hence at enmity Who by your virtues more than Arms o'rcome Would make you ally'd friends of Mighty Rome Leaving your Country and this Beauteous Queen To give her love as best to Heaven is seen This said the Princes serious councel take How safe Replies this Embassy to make Who though they Gallick Arts and Romes distrust Conclude in faith these dare not be unjust Since thus reduc'd by a victor'ous Fate But this so high concern of Arms and State These Hero's joyntly to the Queen referre Whose Cause they own the glory of this warre While she though willing to embrace a Theme In which their warlike deeds such merits claim Yet gently wishes they 'd her tongue now spare Too soft to accent the rough Laws of warre And thus her ruby lips contain a space Each look first speaking Majesty and Grace As if like Stats they could her sense convey Through the bright insluence of a beam or ray Then to this Embassy in brief replies What with these Royal Princes she decreas Whose valours have oblig'd her cause so far That for their sakes 't were sin to wish more war If as he sayes Great Ennius does repent And more Alvatrix does his rage relent Which threatn'd ev'n her City and her Name With Fire and Arms and more unwelcome Flame Yet thus incens'd her vote shall mercy show To this Legation of a cruel Foe On whom their Arms might utmost vengeance take Who beat in field their Camp a refuge make But if that Rome and Gaul no more will be To Britains or their Country Enemy She 'll with the Princes grant they Truce obtain On Faith giv'n ne'r t' invade this Isle again To which this Legat guilefully consents Vowing his Masters peaceful fair intents By all the Gods that Rome and Gaul revere Prophaning Faith at once and Heav'ns just Ear. Then to Martianus these great Chiefs express That he with Rome and Gaul his Arms should cease If on their plighted faith this Isle they leave In forty dayes till when a Truce must have With feign'd Congratulations then departs This cringing Legat full of Gauls smooth Arts The Mimicks in whom Nature forms deceit And whence the world does pattern modes to cheat Which as an impious President foreshows That Gauls would still be Britains faithless Foes Who by feign'd Treaties more our Arms deceiv'd Than e'r their Swords by victory repriev'd And now the Queen descends this stately Throne Their joyes with all magnificence to own In Court and City while they first express Their Thanks to heav'n for their fam'd Arms success The End of the First Book THE Brittish Princes AN Heroick Poem BOOK II. The First Canto THe Gen'rous Victor to renown his Bayes Devotes to Peace some glory of his dayes Pleas'd that his Armes her gentle Thrones restore Fit to partake the case of mighty Power Though oft great Monarchs artful Treaties make Which by vile stratagems of Faith they break And by perfidious leasure respite warre More Engins of destruct'on to prepare While these Great Brittish Princes having rais'd Trophies of war Fame through the world had blaz'd No less Heroick grant their Foes a Peace The Noble End just Arms must guide and cease Nor did these Hero's Roman Arts distrust Or Gauls in faith reputed more unjust Since from their conqu'ring mercy Truce they gain Less imp'ous held than plighted faith to feign Or tempt their Arms a Conquest to pursue And heav'n oblige to joyn in vengeance too From whence the great devoutly wise must own All high atchievments of the Sword or Throne That Power by Sacred Tyes may Mankind awe Too rough alone to guide with humane Law Thus from the world Heav'ens legislative book Of Providence Domin'on Copies took Lest Chance or Guilt entitle Scepters here And like tam'd Beasts Men without conscience fear Whence first industr'ous Rulers vulgars taught How Order Heav'ns Great Works divinely wrought While Power then
in this Pow'r Of Brittish Nobles and their Youth 's choice Flow'r That dare not hope to stand by Arms this Field But to our wishes must Bonduca yield Yet e'r her Eyes lament or Heart deplores The groans of dying Foes from our stern Pow'rs Unto the streightn'd Princes Truce let 's give If they without her love will yield to live Thus from the Consul is a Herauld sent To speak their high demands and fierce intent While yet Alvatrix does not think to prove The Consul Rival in Bonduca's love Or that he led his Roman Eagles now To conquer Brittains and remain his Foe But Loves ambition oft receives a Fate As well as those of Empire or of State This Herauld to the Queen and Princes come Speaks his bold Message from the Chief of Rome VVhich now the Queen with deep affliction hears Though less her life then love creates her fears And first does let the Princes boldly know That his great Master by Romes Gods does vow He 'll not the fortune of this day survive Should it Rome solely Brittish Empire give Who more than thirst of Rule makes Love his Cause Whose great Prerogative admits no Laws Though he the first of Romans yields to be That e'r broke Truce with noble Enemy For which of Heav'n and Rome does pardon crave And on these tearms if they yet Peace will have They and this Isle unconquer'd shall remain And for his triumph but the Queen will gain Nor by this Summons does he more demand Than what his pow'rful Legions can command When in this streight his Force and conduct must Send the Great Princes with their Pow'rs to dust Yet for the Queens fair sake vouchsafes to treat Before their Arms his dreadful onsets meet And Wars stern horrors her soft Soul affright Or she his Love would save should fall in fight But who can judge the high concern and flame Incens'd these Hero's when from Ennius came This bold demand so late their conquer'd Foe And no less treach'rously a Lover now Then is Alvatrix while the Queens bright beams Had kindled in their hearts Loves mighty flames Then to this Herauld Arthur's Son does speak Let not Romes Consul ever hope to make Us Brittish Princes so desertless live That he Bonduca Laws of Love shall give Or that they can a brave success despair Who with Truce-breaking Gauls and Romans war Nor would they lose the glory of this Fight To die or conquer in the Queens fair sight Whose heart unshaken their fierce Pow'rs withstood When London felt their flames stream'd with blood Yet slighted then Alvatrix rage and love And can she less 'gainst faithless Ennius prove More had this Prince express'd but Vortiger Whose Martial courage Fate her self did fear This Herauld bids withdraw in high disdain While Love and Empire thus at stake remain And next the Princes willing to deceive The Queens sad fears in this short respite give Her heart brave comforts while her weeping eyes Pay for their safeties Heav'n a sacrifice Then of these Forrest shades selects the view Of VVillows and Loves mournful Embleme Yew Neglecting Elmes embrac'd with am'rous Vines Which Nature for pleas'd Lovers objects twines And ev'n the Princes but kind Foes now calls Who thus surpriz'd withstand Romes Force and Gauls While with their safety she could these defie And their unconquer'd Virgin Lover die No less concern'd in this surprising hour The Princes had dispos'd their Martial Power VVith such wise conduct that the wing of Fate Did more her self than them precipitate And here the weapon'd Woodmen duely place Eager to make on Foes their nobler chace More joy'd to hear the trumpets Martial sounds Than all the Musick of their Horns and Hounds Then Roman Cornets Brittish Trumpets vye Whose vig'rous clamours seem to wound the skye VVhile Martial Odes the trusty Bowmen sing Compos'd by Brute their antient warlike King But e'r these Powers their fierce Incounters make Thus Ennius does unto Alvatrix speak Great Prince of Gaul if we this day o'rcome T will Brittish Empire yet restore to Rome And grace her Triumphs with Bouduca too VVhose love my heart conceal'd from thee till now While I Romes Consul blush to ownn slame That does with thine a Râ—vals wishes claim But as thou art Romes mighty Ally know I 'll to thy Love as glorious means allow This Battail won thy Sword and mine shall try Which for Bonduca's sake must yield to dye To whom Alvatrix had I Empire claim'd Of this Great Isle so long Romes Arms has fam'd Or did thy Rods and Axes envy'd see Born as thy Cons'lar State and Dignity I could not with such Fate surpriz'd have been As now to hear thou lov'st the Brittish Queen For whose enjoyment I such dangers fought Unvallew'd whil'st in her o'rpriz'd I sought Nor shall the honour of my blood decline This glor'ous offer 'twixt thy Sword and mine If heav'n decrees we this dayes fate survive To enter Lists shall Loves sole conquest give Till when I 'll like a Prince ally'd to Rome Assist her Eagles Brittains to o'rcome Though as thy Rival will attempt to be The Queens Possessor first from victory Before these Pow'rs their dreadful fury joyn The Roman Augurs who success divine From various Birds the airs vast Regions fly Or victims with auspicious omens dye Declare how they with horror did behold An offer'd Heifers blood turn'd black and cold Her bleeding Entrails panting in their view And how in ominous Flocks the Ravens flew Besides they had Portentous Records took From Great Cumean Sybil's wondrous Book Who in Prophetick fury did declare Romans should fatally with Brittains warr When they their Legions in that place array In which Great Caesar's Hart late stood at Bay And by a Brittish Queen pursu'd should fall Hence they the Consul warn and Prince of Gaul But Love whose Power even Fate her self defies Bids the bold Consul slight these destinies Calling their Rites some Cowards pious care That Rome first taught from Birds and Beasts to fear Then gives the Battel signal whence darts fly Thick as when stormes descending cloud the sky While Brittish Arrows these out-wing in flight And level ranks of Legions as they light Whose Pow'rs more numerous spare these heaps dead And with enlarged wings make dreadful speed Circling the Brittish Force and Princes round Their warlike ranks and valour to confound But with a fury more enforc'd oppose The Mart'al Pow'rs the beaut'ous Queen inclose While as she sees a Brittain fall or bleed Wishes the Dart had pierc'd her in his stead And here Great Ennius with his Romans breaks Through num'rous Ranks till he a prospect takes Of her bright visage while her Eyes dart beams That to his love and valor adds more flames No less Alvatrix danger does despice Leading his Gauls to Mars a sacrifice Invoking him this dayes success to crown That from his Arms his love may have renown And here through fierce Daranders Troops they break As Lanes through Woods the